Into the Past
by authorwannabe101
Summary: Six Thunderclan cats go travel back to the past to read Into the Wild with all the leaders and deputies from before Into the Wild. More if you click on it. I do not own Warriors, that right is saved for Erin Hunter.
1. Arriving and Explanations

**Ok, so Into the Past is pretty obvious in an obscure way. Basically, Firestar, Brambleclaw, Graystripe, Sandstorm, Squirrelflight, and Leafpool from after The Sight are in a meadow before Into the Wild occurs. Also there are Bluestar, Redtail, Crookedstar, Oakheart, Brokenstar, Blackfoot, Tallstar, and Deadfoot from before Into the Wild. They are all there to read seven books that Yellowfang- her spirit comes down from Starclan -delivers to them. The list of books is as follows:**

**#1: Into the Wild**

**#2: Fire and Ice**

**#3: Forest of Secrets**

**#4: Rising Storm**

**#5: A Dangerous Path**

**#6: The Darkest Hour**

**Super Edition: Firestar's Quest**

**I may go further, but I can't promise this. If I do, more characters from after The Sight such as Crowfeather, Stormfur, Brook, etc will be there. But as that water has yet to reach the bridge, we'll let it be for now. Onward, MARCH!**

Chapter 1: Into the Past

Firestar was in his den talking to Brambleclaw- his deputy, Graystripe- his best friend, and Sandstorm- his mate -about the gathering that had just happened when a bright light appeared and swallowed them.

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><p>Squirrelflight was pacing anxiously while talking to her sister, Leafpool, about her son, Lionpaw, when a bright light appeared and swallowed them.<p>

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><p>Bluestar was discussing Riverclan with her deputy, Redtail, while walking through the forest when the scenery changed and they were in a meadow she didn't recognize.<p>

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><p>Crookedstar was discussing Thunderclan with his deputy, Oakheart, while walking along a riverbank when the scenery changed and they were in a meadow he didn't recognize.<p>

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><p>Brokenstar was growling angrily about Windclan at his deputy, Blackfoot, while walking through the pine trees when the scenery changed and they were in a meadow he didn't recognize.<p>

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><p>Tallstar was discussing Shadowclan anxiously with his deputy, Deadfoot, while walking along the gorge when the scenery changed and they were in a meadow he didn't recognize.<p>

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><p>Bluestar was standing in the meadow looking around when Redtail called out sharply, "Bluestar! Crookedstar and Oakheart are here!"<p>

She spun around and demanded the two cats, "Where are we? Why did you bring us here?"

They stared at her in astonishment, and Crookedstar asked, "Why are you asking us? We don't know where we are." Bluestar gaped at them, then demanded, "And you two?" The Riverclan cats looked at her, confused, when they heard a familiar rough tone say behind them, "We could ask the same of you." Looking around, they saw Brokenstar and Blackfoot, and coming into the meadow behind them were Tallstar and Deadfoot.

"Right," Bluestar started, "So none of us know what in Starclan is going on?"

"Correct," a voice said from beside her, and she spun around to stare at Shadowclan's medicine cat, Yellowfang. Only, she wasn't exactly Yellowfang. The cat was starry, and looked like she belonged in Starclan.

"What do you mean?" Tallstar questioned.

"You are all in Starclan." The she-cat stated matter-of-factly. "We have decided to bring you here to- "

"We?" Brokenstar questioned harshly. "You were still alive last time I checked."

Yellowfang chuckled softly and told them, "I will explain fully when the last six cats arrive."

"You are bringing more?" Crookedstar asked. "Why? All the leaders and deputies are here."

She smiled, amused, and told them, "Not quite. There is still one more leader and deputy to come, and they are not even all of them."

"Meaning?" All eight cats questioned, frustrated. The old cat was telling them nothing!

Yellowfang sniffed as she told them, "Surely you don't think you can live forever."

Brokenstar opened his muzzle to demand that she tell them what kind of trick this was- he was her leader, after all -when a bright light appeared.

* * *

><p>The first thing Firestar saw wasn't a thing, but a cat.<p>

"Blackstar! What is the meaning of this? We just formed a truce! And after all that-" He suddenly found a tail in his mouth.

"Firestar, take a closer look at those two cats. What is wrong with them?" A low, familiar voice murmured in his ear.

"Yellowfang?" He gasped, turning to look at his old friend. "Where are we? What happened? Why-"

"Patience," the yellow-gray cat murmured, "All will be revealed."

Meanwhile, all the other cats were studying the new arrivals in shock. _Blackstar? What was the orange male going on about?_

"Now," Yellowfang told them, "I'm sure there are questions. If you will ask me, I will answer to the best of my abilities."

"What did the cat mean, calling me 'star'?" Blackfoot questioned. The she-cat smiled sadly and told him, "That will all be revealed later. Next."

"Who are they, and where did they come from?" Bluestar asked, causing four of the strangers to gasp, "Bluestar?" which caused the other two to gasp.

Yellowfang said, "Everyone, introduce yourselves, names only."

Everyone shot her a confused look before complying.

"Bluestar."

"Redtail."

"Brokenstar."

"Blackfoot."

"Tallstar."

"Deadfoot."

"Crookedstar."

"Oakheart."

"Firestar."

"Brambleclaw."

"Graystripe."

"Leafpool."

"Sandstorm."

"Squirrelflight."

"So, you are all warriors?" Tallstar asked the six strangers.

"No," Firestar replied, shaking his head. "Leafpool is a medicine cat."

"Is that it?" Yellowfang questioned. As all of the cats nodded, she continued, "Good. Now, reading is something twolegs do. They make something called paper out of trees, and put markings called letters, which make up words, on the paper. Paper, when it is used to copy down a story, becomes a book. When they comprehend them, they are reading. Starclan has brought you all here to read seven books, maybe more. They are all about a house cat named Rusty. Try not to-

"Break it up!" She screeched. "Sandstorm, stop acting like a kitten in the nursery and get off of Brokenstar."

The other cats all looked around to find the sandy colored cat tussling with Shadowclan's leader, hissing angrily at him, only to separate when Yellowfang told her to. She had been on the receiving end of those claws before and had no inclination to do so again, even if she wanted to tear him to bits. Honestly, taking Thunderclan kits!

"Good." Yellowfang said matter-of-factly. "Now, as I was saying, try not to kill each other. Everything will work out. The time you are in is before the first book. And now, begin."

And with that, Yellowfang disappeared.

**There we are! I can't say that I will be updating frequently, as I have three other stories to update, and those are just the published ones, but I will _not_ abandon this story!**

**Please review! (It's that little blue button down there, yup, that's it. Now click on it!)**


	2. Summary and Prologue

**So, I recently got a review from someone saying that they would report this story. Because of this, I am changing the way I write the chapters. I will put enough words from Hunter's chapters that you can understand the comments. There will be '...' where I have taken words away. This way I'm not posting the whole chapter. I hope this will be enough that this story isn't deleted. I'm very sorry, but this is my decision. - January 3, 2014**

Chapter 2

"So," Bluestar said, walking over to the stack of books Yellowfang left behind. "Who is going to read first?"

"First," Brokenstar growled, "I want answers."

Crookedstar shook his head and told him, "You heard your medicine cat. All will be revealed."

Firestar spoke up then, saying, "I'll read first."

"This is on the back:

**"Fire alone can save our clan... "**

"What?" All the leaders asked, confused.

Firestar told them, shaking his head, "It will all be explained. Anyways...

**"For generations, four Clans of wild cats have shared the forest according to the laws laid down by their warrior ancestors. But the ThunderClan cats are in grave danger,"**

"What!" Bluestar and Redtail cried. Sandstorm glared at them and said, "Let Firestar get through this!"

**"-and the sinister ShadowClan grows stronger every day."** Cue suspicious glances towards Brokenstar and Blackfoot by the current warriors and glares by the future. **"Noble warriors are dying-"** "No!" All the leaders gasped (except Brokenstar), but Firestar read over them **"- and some deaths are more mysterious than others.**

**"In the midst of this turmoil appears an ordinary house cat named Rusty... who may turn out to be the bravest warrior of them all."**

"Well." Sandstorm said, glancing around. "Who is going to read the first chapter?"

"I'll read this as well," Firestar told everyone, "As it is only a prologue." Everyone nodded, and Firestar read-

**"Prologue.**

**"A half-moon glowed on smooth granite boulders, turning them silver. The silence was broken only by the ripple of water from the swift black river and the whisper of trees in the forest beyond."**

"Sunning rocks are ours!" The two separate sets of leader and deputy, ThunderClan and RiverClan, yowled.

"Hush!" Sandstorm hissed. "Firestar, continue."

**"There was a stirring in the shadows, and from all around lithe dark shapes crept stealthily over the rocks. ... ****"Oakheart!" the tabby growled. "How dare you hunt in our territory? The Sunningrocks belong to ThunderClan!"**

"Pinned!" Oakheart howled angrily. "I would never be-" He was cut off as the future ThunderClan leader read over him, barely refraining from hissing at the mention of Tigerclaw.

**"After tonight, Tigerclaw, this will be just another RiverClan hunting ground!" the bracken-colored tom spat back."**

"Never! The ThunderClan cats howled.

**"A warning yowl came from the shore, shrill and anxious. "Look out! More RiverClan warriors are coming!"**

**... The drenched RiverClan warriors bounded silently up the shore and hurled themselves into battle without even stopping to shake the water from their fur."**

"Of course." Oakheart mewed smugly. "We aren't afraid of the water, unlike _some_ cats."

**"The dark tabby glared down at Oakheart. "You may swim like otters, but you and your warriors do not belong in this forest!" **

**... Now he lunged toward her neck with jaws still dripping from his swim across the river."**

"No!" Bluestar gasped.

**"Tigerclaw heard the cry and let go of Oakheart... Mousefur scrambled to her paws, wincing from a deep gash on her shoulder, and raced away.**

"Please be ok. We need our warriors." Bluestar murmured anxiously.

**"Behind her, Tigerclaw spat with rage as the RiverClan tom sliced open his nose. ...**

**"No, Redtail. ThunderClan will never be beaten!" Tigerclaw yowled back, leaping to Redtail's side."**

"No!" Redtail hissed. "Listen to me! We can't lose warriors just because of a record!"

**"This is our territory!" Blood was welling around his broad black muzzle, and he shook his head impatiently, scattering scarlet drops onto the rocks.**

**"ThunderClan will honor your courage, Tigerclaw, but we cannot afford to lose any more of our warriors," Redtail urged. "Bluestar would never expect her warriors to fight against these impossible odds. We will have another chance to avenge this defeat."**

"He is right, Tigerclaw." Bluestar murmured. "I would never ask that. I _couldn't_."

**"He met Tigerclaw's amber-eyed gaze steadily, then reared away and sprang onto a boulder at the edge of the trees.**

**... Spitting and snarling, they backed toward Redtail."**

"Yes!" Crookedstar and Oakheart yowled, then ducked their heads as everyone stared at them.

**"For a heartbeat, the RiverClan cats looked confused. Was this battle so easily won? ..****. Then he leaped after his Clan into the silent forest."**

"Thank you, StarClan." The current ThunderClan cats whispered. These were tough times, and they couldn't afford to lose anyone.

**"In a deserted clearing, an old gray she-cat sat alone,"**

"Old!" Bluestar howled angrily, instantly knowing who the cat was.

**"staring up at the clear night sky.**

**... "Her wounds are deep, Bluestar," answered the tortoiseshell, settling herself on the night-cool grass. "But she is young and strong; she will heal quickly."**

"Thank you, StarClan." All the ThunderClan cats whispered, even the future cats- it gave them hope to know that Mousefur wouldn't suffer from this wound.

**"And the others?"**

**"They will all recover, too."**

**Bluestar sighed. "We are lucky not to have lost any of our warriors this time. You are a gifted medicine cat, Spottedleaf. ... We need more kits."**

"Unfortunately, that is true for all our clans." Tallstar spoke, sighing sadly. "We can only hope for more kits.

**"But the year is only just beginning," Spottedleaf pointed out calmly. "There will be more kits when greenleaf comes."**

**... "It is at times like this we need the words of ancient warriors to help us. Has StarClan spoken to you?" Bluestar asked.**

**"Not for some moons, Bluestar."**

"They have now, thankfully." Bluestar sighed in relief.

**Suddenly a shooting star blazed over the treetops. ... ****"It was a message from StarClan," Spottedleaf murmured. A distant look came into her eyes. "Fire alone can save our Clan."**

"Fire?" Bluestar asked, confused. "But fire is feared by all the Clans! How can it save us?" Firestar laughed, and, shaking his head, read, **"Fire?" Bluestar echoed. "But fire is feared by all the Clans! How can it save us?"**

Now all the cats- except Shadowlan -laughed as well.

**Spottedleaf shook her head. "I do not know," she admitted. **

**... "You have never been wrong before, Spottedleaf," she meowed. "If StarClan has spoken, then it must be so. Fire will save our Clan."**

"But how-" Redtail began.

Sandstorm looked at him and said sternly, "You will find out."

**Please review!**


	3. Chapter 1

**I'm sorry that I took so long. I've been busy. Thank you to those who reviewed. Please enjoy.**

**Chapter 3:**

"Who will read next?" Firestar asked, anxious to get rid of the book. He had a feeling that it would be in his point of view and would like to be able to run if necessary. Of course, he couldn't die, but still.

Also, he was hungry, and if he spotted a mouse or other kind of food, he would appreciate his paws being ready to spring.

"I will," Bluestar volunteered.

Nodding, Firestar nudged the book over to her. Opening it, she began,

**"It was very dark. Rusty could sense something was near."**

"Who is Rusty?" Squirrelflight asked.

"The main character and you-know-who." Sandstorm replied, rolling her eyes. Honestly! Her daughter knew Firestar's kittypet name!

**"The young tomcat's eyes opened wide as he scanned the dense undergrowth. This place was unfamiliar, but the strange scents drew him onward, deeper into the shadows. ... ****Soon his hunger would be satisfied."**

"Why is it starting here?" Graystripe asked. "And it wouldn't be unfamiliar. I mean-"

"Continue, please, Bluestar," Firestar told the she-cat, rolling his eyes at his best friend.

**Slowly he lowered his body into position, crouching for the attack. ...**

** It tried to run, but Rusty snatched it up ****again. He tossed the mouse once more, this time a little farther away. The mouse managed to scramble a few paces before Rusty caught up with it.**

Bluestar huffed. "Why, in the name of Starclan, is that cat playing with his food?"

Firestar hid his embarrassment and told her, "Keep reading. We may find out."

**Suddenly a noise roared nearby. ...**** Rusty had been dreaming.**

"Why was he dreaming about the forest if he's a kittypet?" Redtail mused. "Interesting."

**Lifting his head, he rested his chin on the side of his bed. ... It was the third time since full moon that he'd had the dream, and every time the mouse had escaped his grasp.**

"Third time?" Sandstorm asked, flicking her tail. "That is a bit much for a kittypet."

Firestar huffed as his mate shoved him a little. She knew exactly who Rusty was.

**He licked his lips. ...**** The food felt dry and tasteless on his tongue.**

Graystripe cried, "Ha! So you agree with me about that, do you?"

**Rusty reluctantly swallowed one more mouthful. Then he turned away from the food dish and pushed his way out through the cat flap, hoping that the smell of the garden would bring back the feelings from his dream.**

"You weren't locked inside?" Graystripe asked, jealous. When he had been held by twolegs, he had had to escape the nest, not just walk out whenever he pleased.

**Outside, the moon was bright. ... ****It was a favorite spot of his, as he could see right into the neighboring gardens as well as into the dense green forest on the other side of the garden fence.**

"So that is who this kittypet is!" Bluestar cried, interrupting herself. "I've been watching him for some time now."

"Why?" Brokenstar sneered. "He's a kittypet. Don't bother with him."

"I'll bother with whoever I like." Bluestar growled before continuing.

**The rain had stopped. ... ****Then he leaped lightly down into the rough grass on the other side of the garden fence.**

"Are you going in?" Redtail asked, frowning.

Firestar laughed and pointed out, even though he knew the Thunderclan deputy wasn't, "You are talking to a book."

Redtail licked his paw and drew it over his ear in embarrassment as the other cats chuckled.

**As he landed, the bell on his collar rang out through the still night air.**

**...**

**"Hello, Smudge," Rusty replied.**

"Smudge?" Oakheart asked, laughing. "What kind of name is that?"

The others all shrugged while Squirrelflight pointed out cheekily, "His."

**"You're not going to go into the woods, are you?" Smudge's amber eyes were huge.**

**"Just for a look," Rusty promised, shifting uncomfortably.**

"He is!" Bluestar gasped, pleased. "He is going in!" She had been right about him then!

**"You wouldn't get me in there. It's dangerous!" Smudge wrinkled his black nose with distaste. "Henry said he went into the woods once." ...**

**"That fat old tabby never went into the woods!" Rusty scoffed. "He's hardly been beyond his own garden since his trip to the vet. All he wants to do is eat and sleep."**

"Really?" Sandstorm scoffed. "A cat like that? I doubt it."

**"No, really. He caught a robin there!" Smudge insisted.**

"Doubt it!" All the cats chorused.

**"Well, if he did, then it was before the vet. Now he complains about birds because they disturb his dozing."**

"Ah," Bluestar mewed understandingly. "He is no longer a tom."

"Bluestar," Tallstar asked, "Could you possibly stop interrupting yourself?"

"I will try." Bluestar said, then continued,

**"Well, anyway," Smudge went on, ignoring the scorn in Rusty's mew, "Henry told me there are all sorts of dangerous animals out there. Huge wildcats who eat live rabbits for breakfast and sharpen their claws on old bones!"**

"Really?" Deadfoot asked, laughing. "They think that?"

"Yes," Graystripe and Firestar chorused.

**"I'm only going for a look around," Rusty meowed. "I won't stay long."**

**...**

**He gave his shoulder a nervous lick and wondered how much of Smudge's gossip was true.**

"Only the wildcats part." Leafpool said, speaking softly and startling the cats from the present time. They didn't know her as well as the ones from the future.

**Suddenly the movement of a tiny creature caught his eye. ...**** It was a mouse.**

"Mmmm. Mouse." Graystripe moaned. "After this, can we hunt?"

"Sure." Firestar said, shrugging and turning to the other leaders. "Is that okay?"

"Yes." They all replied.

**Rusty rocked his haunches from side to side, preparing to leap. ... His bell jangled treacherously, and the mouse darted away into the thickest tangle of the bramble bush.**

"Sorry." Graystripe muttered to his friend. "I didn't-"

"Don't." Firestar told him. "It wasn't you, and even if it was, it all worked out fine, and it was probably better that I didn't catch it anyway."

Graystripe nodded, happy that his friend wasn't upset about it.

**Rusty stood very still and looked around. ... Distracted, Rusty forgot about the mouse and watched the red tail curiously. He wanted a better look.**

"Are you crazy?" Sandstorm moaned. "That's a fox!"

**All of Rusty's senses strained ahead as he prowled forward. ... It was only when the faint rustling behind him became a loud and fast approaching leaf-crackle that Rusty realized he was in danger.**

"You could hear me?" Graystripe asked, upset.

**The creature hit him like an explosion and Rusty was thrown sideways into a clump of nettles. ... Thinking fast, he flipped over onto his back. He knew instinctively how dangerous it was to expose his soft belly, but it was his only chance.**

"Incredibly dangerous!" Bluestar cried. "If it's only one attacker, it will probably work, but if not..."

"Bluestar!" All the cats howled.

"What? Oh, sorry." Bluestar said, then continued.

**"He was lucky—the ploy seemed to work. He heard a "hhuuffff" beneath him as the breath was knocked out of his attacker.**

"You really weighed a lot." Graystripe groaned, flexing his shoulders as if imagining them being pounded into the ground that very moment.

"What did you expect?" Firestar asked, laughing. "I was still a kittypet."

**"Thrashing fiercely, Rusty managed to wriggle free. Without looking back he sprinted toward his home.**

"So it did work." Bluestar said, sighing happily. She liked the kittypet's explorative nature and natural instinct.

"Bluestar," Redtail said gently, "Could you possibly continue so we find out what happens next?"

**"Behind him, a rush of pawsteps told Rusty his attacker was giving chase. Even though the pain from his scratches stung beneath his fur, Rusty decided he would rather turn and fight than let himself be jumped on again.**

"So that's why." Graystripe mused. He had always wondered about that, but always forgot to ask.

**He skidded to a stop, spun around, and faced his pursuer.**

**It was another kitten, with a thick coat of shaggy gray fur, strong legs, and a broad face.**

"Graykit?" Bluestar and Redtail asked in surprise. What was he doing out of the nursery?

"I was an apprentice by then." Graystripe told them, seeing the question in their eyes.

At his answer, they both stared at him and Redtail asked, "You're Graykit?"

Shrugging, he replied, "I used to be." Nodding at Bluestar, he asked, "Can you continue?"

**In a heartbeat, Rusty smelled that it was a tom, and sensed the power in the sturdy shoulders underneath the soft coat. ... Taken by surprise by Rusty's turnabout, it fell back into a dazed heap.**

"I was not." Graystripe huffed.

"Were too." Firestar muttered to him.

**The impact knocked the breath out of Rusty, and he staggered. ..****. Every part of him was tense, ready for battle.**

"Really?" Brokenstar asked, interested now. It wasn't everyday you find a kittypet wanting to fight.

**"Hi there, kittypet!" meowed the gray tom cheerily. "You put up quite a fight for a tame kitty!"**

**...**

**Rusty remained silent. He didn't understand what this Graywhatsit**

"Hey!" Graystripe protested. "I was Graypaw, not Graywhatsit!"

Laughing, Bluestar started the sentence over.

**He didn't understand what this Graywhatsit was meowing about, but he sensed the threat had passed. ...**

**"If you're the most dangerous thing the woods has to offer, then I think I can handle it," Rusty bluffed.**

Blackfoot narrowed his eyes and said, "Oh, he's far from the most dangerous. If he was even half a warrior, he'd have given an intruder like you some real wounds to think about."

Bluestar laughed at this and read,

**"Graypaw looked up at him for a moment, narrowing his big yellow eyes. "Oh, I'm far from the most dangerous. If I were even half a warrior, I'd have given an intruder like you some real wounds to think about."**

Realizing how similar they were, the others- except Blackfoot and Brokenstar, who were offended at Shadowclan thinking like Thunderclan -laughed as Bluestar continued.

**Rusty felt a thrill of fear at these ominous words. What did this cat mean by "intruder"?**

"Intruder," Sandstorm recited, "A cat who enters a territory or camp without without permission; a trespasser."

"I know what it means now." Firestar groaned. He had a feeling that he would be made fun off a lot during these books, especially when they found out that he was Rusty.

**"Anyway," meowed Graypaw, using his sharp teeth to tug a clump of grass from between his claws,...**

**Graypaw let out an impatient hiss. "You must have heard of the four warrior Clans that hunt around here!"**

"Graypaw," Bluestar began, only to be interrupted by Graystipe.

"Graystripe now, and I know that, as a kittypet, he wouldn't know of us. Now." He added the 'now' at Bluestar's twitching tail.

**I belong to ThunderClan. The other Clans are always trying to steal prey from our territory, especially ShadowClan. They're so fierce they would have ripped you to shreds, no questions asked."**

"Of course." Brokenstar purred.

**Graypaw paused to spit angrily and continued: "... When I've finished my training, I'll be so dangerous, I'll have the other Clans shaking in their flea-bitten skins. They won't dare come near us then!"**

"Frightened? Of you? They must be out of their minds." Squirrelflight teased.

"Hey!" Graystripe cried.

**Rusty narrowed his eyes. ... In fact, it was hard not to admire this confident kitten.**

"You admire me!" Graystripe said proudly.

"Used to," Firestar said, chuckling. "Now, I think I feel more of a... how do I put it? Comradeship. Trust."

"Humph." Graystipe humphed.

Meanwhile, the cats from the present watched the two with narrowed eyes. Something was going on, and they didn't like not knowing. Also, the two were being careful enough so that they weren't overheard. They didn't like it one bit.

**"So you're not a warrior yet?" he asked.**

**"Why? Did you think I was?" Graypaw purred proudly; then he shook his wide, furry head. ... Tonight is my first night out as an apprentice."**

"Who is-was," Redtail corrected himself, "Your mentor?"

Graystripe managed to hide a flinch. 'Was' was right. Lionheart was dead. Instead of saying this, though, he said simply, "You'll find out."

**"Why don't you find yourself an owner with a nice cozy house instead? ... All you have to do is sit where they can see you and look hungry for a couple of days—"**

"Ick! Who would want to do that?" Oakheart asked, disgusted.

**"And they'd feed me pellets that look like rabbit droppings and soft slop!" Graypaw interrupted. " ... We come and go as we please."**

"Well said." Bluestar said approvingly, causing Graystripe to flick his tail in pleasure.

"Bluestar." All the others groaned.

"Sorry." She muttered before starting again.

**He finished his speech with a proud spit, then meowed mischievously, "Until you've tasted a fresh-killed mouse, you haven't lived. Have you ever tasted mouse?"**

**"No," Rusty admitted, a little defensively. "Not yet."**

"Almost, but not yet." Firestar said, sighing. It really was the best.

**"I guess you'll never understand." Graypaw sighed. "You weren't born wild. ... Kitties born into Twoleg nests could never feel the same way."**

"Not in Rusty." Leafpool, Brambleclaw, and Crookedstar pointed out at the same time, causing them to glance at each other quickly before turning away.

**Rusty remembered the way he had felt in his dream. "That's not true!" he mewed indignantly.**

**Graypaw did not reply. He suddenly stiffened midlick, one paw still raised, and sniffed the air. "I smell cats from my Clan," he hissed. "You should go. They won't be pleased to find you hunting in our territory!"**

"You're going to hide him." Redtail said, disappointed.

Graystripe shrugged and said, "Yeah." He wasn't that upset with himself about it.

**Rusty looked around, wondering how Graypaw knew any cat was approaching. He couldn't smell anything different on the leaf-scented breeze. But his fur stood on end at the note of urgency in Graypaw's voice.**

"Really?" Graystripe asked, frowning. "I picked it up easily."

"He hasn't been trained yet." Bluestar pointed out before continuing.

**"Quick!" hissed Graypaw again. "Run!"**

**... "What's going on here?"**

**... White hairs streaked her muzzle, and an ugly scar parted the fur across her shoulders, but her smooth gray coat shone like silver in the moonlight.**

"Much better description." Bluestar said, pleased.

"Bluestar." The others groaned, causing her to huff and start again.

**"Bluestar!" Beside Rusty, Graypaw crouched down and narrowed his eyes. He crouched even lower when a second cat—a handsome, golden tabby—followed the gray cat into the clearing.**

"Ah. Lionheart." Redtail said, nodding.

**"You shouldn't be so near Twolegplace, Graypaw!" growled the golden tabby angrily, narrowing his green eyes.**

**"I know, Lionheart, I'm sorry." Graypaw looked down at his paws. Rusty copied Graypaw and crouched low to the forest floor, his ears twitching nervously.**

"Thank Starclan you did." Graystripe muttered. He didn't know what would have happened if he hadn't.

**These cats had an air of strength he had never seen in any of his garden friends. Maybe what Smudge had warned him about was true.**

"Never! Or at least, not all of it." Deadfoot growled. They respected their food and gave thanks to Starclan for it, not eat it alive and chew the bones!

**"Who is this?" asked the she-cat.**

**...**

**"This is Bluestar; she's leader of my Clan!" Graypaw hissed to Rusty under his breath. "And Lionheart. He's my mentor, which means he's training me to be a warrior."**

"Lionheart is your mentor!" Redtail exclaimed, pleased. He would make an excellent mentor for the apprentice.

**"Thank you for the introduction, Graypaw," meowed Lionheart coolly.**

**...**

**Graypaw looked pleased at Bluestar's praise.**

"Of course I was." Graystripe muttered.

**"Sit up now, both of you!" Bluestar looked at Rusty. "You too, kittypet." **

**...**

**"And you turned to face him when he chased you. I've not seen a kittypet do that before."**

Brokenstar nodded to himself. Perhaps... but no. No kittypet would ever join his clan, no matter how instinctive he was. Never. Shaking his head, he expelled these thoughts from it. He would never think of it again.

**Rusty managed to nod his thanks, taken aback by such unexpected praise. **

**...**

**Lionheart spoke now. His deep meow was respectful but insistent. "Bluestar, this is a kittypet. He should not be hunting in ThunderClan territory. Send him home to his Twolegs!"**

"A little harsh." Redtail muttered. It was obvious that the cat was instinctive, it would be interesting to see what he could do when fully trained.

**Rusty prickled at Lionheart's dismissive words. "Send me home?" ... "But I've only come here to hunt for a mouse or two. I'm sure there's enough to go around."**

There were gasps throughout the clearing, even from Firestar. He had forgotten he had said that, and was amazed at it now. Never again would he think that. He knew only too well the dangers of what could come from too little food, not to mention how easily that could come sometimes.

**Bluestar had turned her head to acknowledge Lionheart's words. ...**

**Rusty was confused by Bluestar's sudden rage, but one glance at the horrified look on Graypaw's face was enough to tell him he had spoken too freely.**

"Way too freely." Graystripe muttered. He hadn't been sure whether to be angry at what was said or worried for the cat's safety. The horrified look was somewhere in-between.

**Lionheart stepped to his leader's side. Both warriors loomed over him now. ... These were not cozyfireside cats he was dealing with—they were mean, hungry cats who were probably going to finish what Graypaw had started.**

"I doubt it." Redtail said, sighing. "They'll probably just make sure that you understand not to do so."

They all waited a few minutes, then Tallstar prompted, "Bluestar?"

"What?" She asked, looking at them. "This chapter is done."

**There we go! All done. I hope you liked it and that it had a nice balance of chapter and interruptions. Please review!**


	4. Chapter 2

**I'm sorry that I took so long. I've been busy with school and after school activities- plus there is Spring Break, and I went away for a week. Thank you to those who reviewed. Please enjoy.**

**Chapter 4:**

"So..." Brambleclaw said, trailing off.

"Who will read next?" Squirrelflight finished, flashing a warm look at her mate before scooting closer to him.

"I will." Tallstar said, shrugging and pawing the book over to him before starting-

**"Well?" hissed Bluestar...**

** "I am no threat to your Clan," Rusty mewed, looking down at his trembling paws.**

"But you are!" Bluestar cried, ignoring Tallstar's glare for interrupting him. "You do so by taking our food!"

"Bluestar!" Redtail said softly. "Let Tallstar continue."

"Sorry," the she-cat apologized and nodded to the Windclan leader to show that she was done and he could continue.

**"You threaten our Clan when you take our food," yowled Bluestar. "You have plenty of food in your Twoleg nest already. You come here only to hunt for sport. But we hunt to survive."**

"So true." Firestar murmured. He remembered this part of the conversation perfectly well. How could he not, when it was when he was offered a place in the clan?

**The truth of the warrior queen's words pierced Rusty like a blackthorn, and suddenly he understood her anger. ... "I had not thought of it that way before. I am sorry," he meowed solemnly. "I will not hunt here again."**

At this, the present cats stared at the book. They hadn't thought that a kittypet could understand them.

**Bluestar let her hackles fall and signaled to Lionheart to step back. "You are an unusual kittypet, Rusty," she meowed.**

"So true." Bluestar muttered, not realizing that Firestar, who used to be Rusty, had done the same only moments before.

Firestar, however, heard her, and his ears twitched. The seed really didn't blow far from the flower in the case of mentor and apprentice. In parent and kit, however... Brambleclaw had proved that wrong.

**Graypaw's sigh of relief made Rusty's ears twitch. He heard the approval in Bluestar's voice and noticed as she swapped a meaningful glance with Lionheart. The look made him curious. What flashed between the two warriors?**

"Yes. What passed between the two of you?" Blackfoot asked, furrowing his brow. Thunderclan had always intrigued him.

**Quietly he asked, "Is survival here really so hard?"**

"Yes." All of the cats said, sighing. It was the way of the warrior code and the forest- although, those from the future also thought of the lake.

**"Our territory covers only part of the forest," answered Bluestar. ...**

**"Big enough," replied Bluestar. "Our territory can support us, but there is no prey left over."**

All the leaders and deputies narrowed their eyes and glanced guardedly at cats from other clans. Would weaknesses and secrets be revealed a lot in these books? So far, they were.

**"Are you all warriors, then?" Rusty mewed. Bluestar's guarded answers were just making him more and more curious.**

"Of course." Bluestar mewed, amused, while Sandstorm flicked his ears with her tail. He had always been to curious, and though sometimes it was a good thing, he also got in trouble for it.

**Lionheart answered him. "Some are warriors. Some are too young or too old or too busy caring for kits to hunt."**

**"And you all live and share prey together?" Rusty murmured in awe, thinking a little guiltily of his own easy, selfish life.**

All of the cats from the present frowned thoughtfully. Rusty really was an intriguing cat.

**Bluestar looked again at Lionheart. ... At last she returned her gaze to Rusty and meowed, "Perhaps you should find out these things for yourself. Would you like to join ThunderClan?"**

At this, all the cats started.

"Are you mad?" Brokenstar spit, furious. A kittypet join the clans? Preposterous!

Blackfoot made sure to keep his face clear of emotions while on the inside he raged. Impossible!

Crookedstar glared at Bluestar. Why? Why must she gain a ready made apprentice? He already knew the kittypet would say yes. All clues pointed to this.

Oakheart stared at the only cat he had ever loved. Where was she going with this?

Tallstar frowned thoughtfully. Currently, he had nothing against Thunderclan, but still... Where Bluestar was going was untrodden ground.

Deadfoot stared at his leader. Whatever happened, he would stand by him.

Bluestar started in surprise. She knew, of course, that she had been thinking of this, but only as a last resort. If she was going ahead with it, she didn't want to think what was going on in her clan.

Redtail narrowed his eyes. A kittypet in the clan? Sighing, he braced himself for Rusty's response. He would go with it, but that didn't mean he was happy about it.

The cats from the future watched the present cat's response carefully.

**Rusty was so surprised, he couldn't speak.**

All the present cats frowned, surprised. They thought he would have accepted immediately.

**Bluestar went on, "If you did, you would train with Graypaw to become a Clan warrior."**

**...**

**A sad look clouded Bluestar's eyes. "Warrior blood," she echoed with a sigh. "Too much of that has been spilled lately."**

"No, no, no." Bluestar moaned. What was happening to her clan?

**Bluestar fell silent and Lionheart meowed, "Bluestar is only offering you training, young kit..."**

**...**

**But it was Bluestar who answered. "You are right to question our motives, young one. The fact is, ThunderClan needs more warriors."**

Redtail shook his head sadly. All the clans needed more warriors. They couldn't survive without them.

**"Understand that Bluestar does not make this offer lightly," warned Lionheart. "... You cannot live with a paw in each world."**

Sandstorm stared at her mate. So he had known what he was leaving behind. She had always suspected, but never had the courage to ask. She supposed it was because at the time, she thought that he thought that he could always run back to his twolegs if it all became too much, and she didn't want to admit that to him. She knew it would hurt him.

**A cool breeze stirred the undergrowth, ruffling Rusty's fur. ..****. "But do you realize the price you will pay for your warmth and food?" Bluestar asked.**

"Hopefully." Redtail thought. "Otherwise, he won't know what hit him.

**Rusty looked at her, puzzled. ...**

**"You haven't yet been taken by the Twolegs to see the Cutter," meowed Bluestar gravely. "You would be very different then. Not quite so keen to fight a Clan cat, I suspect!"**

"Yes, that is true. But then, they would fight if they had to." Graystripe said, recalling his time with twolegs and pointedly ignoring all the cats from his past who stared at him, puzzled, as to how he knew this.

**Rusty was confused. He suddenly thought of Henry, who had become fat and lazy since his visit to the vet. Was that what Bluestar meant by the Cutter?**

"Yes." Everyone chorused.

**"The Clan may not be able to offer you such easy food or warmth," continued Bluestar. "... The strength and the fellowship of the Clan will always be with you, even when you hunt alone."**

"More than what a kittypet like you deserves." Brokenstar sneered at the book, not hearing the snickers from all the other cats, save for his deputy, at the fact that he was sneering at a book.

**Rusty's head reeled. Bluestar seemed to be offering him the life he had lived so many times, and so tantalizingly, in his dreams, but could he live like that for real?**

"Yes," Sandstorm mewed into his ear. "And you do brilliantly at it."

**Lionheart interrupted his thoughts. "Come, Bluestar, ..." He stood up and flicked his tail expectantly.**

All the cats from the present frowned. Was Rusty really going to let it go?

**"Wait," Rusty meowed. "Can I think about your offer?"**

At this, they flicked their tails in acknowledgement. So he wanted to think about it. Of course.

**Bluestar looked at him for a long moment and nodded. "Lionheart will be here tomorrow at sunhigh," she told him. ...**

** His fur prickled deliciously in the light wind, and the rustling leaves seemed to whisper his name into the shadows.**

"He joins, doesn't he?" Bluestar asked, staring at Graystripe.

Unfortunately for her and the other present cats, he shook his head and told them, "You'll have to wait and see."

**So, here it is! I'm sorry to those who want more from outside Thunderclan, but I find it hard to do as I don't really know them as well. Until next time!**


	5. Chapter 3

**Thank you to those who reviewed. EvilAntauri: I tried to fit in more Brambleclaw. I do not own Warriors. Here is chapter 5!**

"Right, so, do you want to hunt?" Brambleclaw asked, "'Cause I don't know about you, but I'm hungry."

"Yes, please!" Graystripe begged. "My stomach is growling!" And to prove it, his stomach did just that.

The leaders all glanced at each other, nodded, and they all separated.

When they got back, Graystripe murmured, "I will read, if that is alright with everyone." Earning himself a thankful glance from Firestar and Sandstorm. They all knew that this would be the chapter where Redtail was proclaimed dead and they wanted to get through it as quick as possible. Sandstorm would read the chapter after if the moment hadn't passed.

Graystripe began, "**That morning, as Rusty slept off his night's wanderings, the mouse dream came again, even more vivid than before. Free of his collar,**

"Is that some kind of premonition?" Squirrelflight asked, looking at her sister who, as medicine cat, would know.

"I think so, yes. But I think it is just Rusty's unconsciousness making his decision, not Starclan."

**"beneath the moon, he stalked the timid creature... The Clan cats had entered his dream world.**

"Definitely a premonition." Bluestar muttered.

**Rusty woke, ... Could he really abandon this comfortable life?**

"Yes," Firestar muttered, taking careful care that none of the others could hear him.

What he didn't know, was that Redtail had always had strong ears, and sitting only a tail-length away, it was hard for him not hear it. The present Thunderclan deputy frowned as he realized that they didn't know what clan most of the cats came from. Graystripe was Graykit, which meant that Sandstorm could be Sandpaw (AN: Sandstorm is a few moons older that Graystripe). But as for the others, he didn't know.

**He ate, then pushed his way out of the cat flap into the garden.**

"Cat flap?" Tallstar asked, confused.

"Twolegs cut small doors into their doors that swing on some kind of cold thing. It allows cats to go through them." Firestar explained, while Graystripe added, "But not all kittypets get them."

This earned them some confused glances on how they knew this, which they pointedly ignored.

**The day promised to be warm, ...**

**It was Smudge. "You should have been awake an hour ago. The baby sparrows were out stretching their wings."**

"Did he catch any?" Brambleclaw asked, licking his lips. He had always like sparrows.

"Probably not, as he probably couldn't even hunt." Firestar pointed out, being careful to say probably. He didn't want the others to know until his clan name was announced.

**"Did you catch any?" Rusty asked.**

**Smudge yawned and licked his nose. "Couldn't be bothered. ..."**

**...**

** "I was in the woods last night," he reminded his friend. At once he felt the blood stir in his veins and his fur stiffen.**

"Yes, it will do that to you." Squirrelflight agreed, sighing. The mountains were so bare! But that just made getting to the forest and then the lake even better.

**Smudge looked down at him, his eyes wide. ...**

**"What!" Smudge was clearly shocked. "Did you get into a fight?"**

"If you could call it that." Graystripe teased, causing Firestar to flick his tail in annoyance. As not all the cats knew who he was, he couldn't argue! Even if he wanted it that way...

**"Sort of." Rusty could feel the energy surging through his body again as he recalled the strength and power of the Clan cats.**

Firestar breathed in deeply. He had forgotten that he dreamed of that power that night and day, and he didn't like it. It was too much like Tigerstar.

Brambleclaw glanced at his old mentor and murmured, "You know you aren't like him," knowing exactly who he was thinking about.

**"Were you hurt? What happened?" Smudge prompted him eagerly.**

"Did he _want_ him to get hurt?" Oakheart asked, gaping at the book, getting shrugs in reply.

**"There were three of them. Bigger and stronger than any of us."**

**"And you fought all three of them!" Smudge interrupted, his tail twitching with excitement.**

"He would be dead." Snorted Brokenstar.

Firestar nodded thoughtfully. He supposed he would have been if they had fought.

Sandstorm, Graystripe, Brambleclaw, Squirrelflight, and Leafpool all paled at the thought. Sandstorm because she would have been without a mate and kits, Graystripe because his best friend would be gone, Brambleclaw because Firestar had been the one to mostly steer him back on the right path and away from his father, and was also his mentor, and Squirrelflight and Leafpool because they wouldn't be living if that was true.

**"No!" Rusty mewed hastily. "Just the youngest one; the other two came later."**

**...**

**"They asked me to join their Clan."**

**Smudge's whiskers quivered disbelievingly.**

"Mine still are." Brokenstar muttered, and Blackfoot nodded in agreement.

**"They did!" Rusty insisted.**

**"Why would they do that?"**

"No clue." The Shadowclan cats muttered.

**"I don't know," Rusty admitted. "I think they need extra paws in their Clan."**

**"Sounds a bit odd to me," Smudge mewed doubtfully. "I wouldn't trust them if I were you."**

"Don't trust Thunderclan? More like Shadowclan!" Tallstar cried, glaring distastefully at said cats, who glared right back.

**Rusty looked at Smudge. ...**** "And I've made up my mind. I'm going to join them."**

"What?" Shadowclan cats screeched, while the other three clans cats cried, "I knew it!" in unison, then drew their paws over their ears in embarrassment. Mean while, the future cats cheered.

**Smudge scrambled down from the fence and stood in front of Rusty. "Please don't go, Rusty," he mewed in alarm. "I might never see you again."**

"Wrong." Firestar muttered, causing Redtail to glance at him.

**Rusty nudged him affectionately with his head. ...**

**"The vet," Rusty explained. "To be altered, like Henry was."**

"So that's what it is called." Bluestar mused.

**Smudge shrugged and stared down at his paws. "But Henry's all right," he mumbled. "I mean, I know he's a bit lazier now, but he's not unhappy. We could still have fun."**

"How can you be lazy and have fun?" Squirrelflight questioned, horrified. "If I was lazy, I don't know what I'd do!"

"Probably nothing." Brambleclaw laughed, entwining his tail with hers.

"I don't know about you, but I can't see her doing nothing." Leafpool purred. "She would probably be like Mousefur. Bossing all the other cats around."

"Hey!" Squirrelflight protested, while all the other cats laughed as they watched the youngest cats joke around.

Then, Bluestar questioned, "Mousefur?"

"Huh? Oh, yeah, we know Mousefur." Leafpool said, wisely leaving it at that and nudging Graystripe to get him to continue.

**Rusty felt his heart fill with sadness at the thought of leaving his friend. "I'm sorry, Smudge. I'll miss you, but I have to go."**

"It's a good thing you did." Sandstorm muttered. "Starclan knows where we would be other wise." Once again, Redtail heard, and frowned. So these cats knew Rusty?

**Smudge didn't reply, but stepped forward and gently touched Rusty's nose with his own. "Fair enough. I can see I can't stop you, but at least let's spend one more morning together."**

"He sounds like a good friend." Deadfoot commented.

**Rusty found himself enjoying the morning even more than usual, ... The idle buzz of meows from his old friends seemed to fade into the background as all his senses strained toward the woods.**

"I hope you weren't rude." Sandstorm addressed the book sternly.

**Rusty jumped down from his garden fence for the last time and crept into the woods. ...**

**Rusty could smell the same cat-scent as last night, but he had no idea whether it was old or new. He lifted his head and sniffed uncertainly.**

Bluestar frowned. "You'll have to do better than that."

"He knows." Sandstorm said. After she had realized her mistake about that, she had been determined to scold people who reprimand him. Especially since he was now Thunderclan's leader. Only Brambleclaw, Graystripe, Squirrelflight, Leafpool, herself, and Starclan could do that now. Not to mention the elders.

**"You have a lot to learn," meowed a deep voice. ...**

**"This is Whitestorm," purred Lionheart. "One of ThunderClan's senior warriors."**

The cats from the future who had known Whitestorm held back a flinch.

**Rusty looked at the tom and felt his spine tingle with cold fear.**

**...**

**Rusty dipped his head in greeting.**

"At least he's polite." Bluestar growled. Now that the cat was actually joining Thunderclan, she would be critiquing him more.

**"Come, we can speak more once we are in the camp," ordered Lionheart. ...**

**The two warriors made no allowances for Rusty as they sped through the forest, and before long he was struggling to keep up.**

Crookedstar frowned, "That isn't fair. Even apprentices have trouble sometimes, and he's a kittypet."

**Their pace barely slowed as they led him over fallen trees that they cleared in a single leap, but which Rusty had to scramble over paw by paw. They passed through sharply fragrant pine trees, where they had to jump across deep gullies churned up by a Twoleg tree-eater.**

The cats from the future hissed angrily. Those had cost them their home and several cats' lives.

**From the safety of his garden fence, Rusty had often heard it roaring and snarling in the distance. ... But he was determined not to show any signs of weakness, so he narrowed his eyes and followed, trying to ignore the uncomfortable wetness that soaked his belly fur.**

"Impressive, for a kittypet." Redtail murmured. "Most would be too disgusted to do so."

**At last Lionheart and Whitestorm paused. ...**

**but his eyes saw nothing except the same undergrowth that covered the rest of the forest floor.**

"Use your nose, not your eyes." Bluestar hissed impatiently.

**"Use your nose. You must be able to scent it," hissed Whitestorm impatiently.**

Everyone laughed. So close! So close to the same wording!

**Rusty closed his eyes and sniffed. Whitestorm was right.**

**... This must be the main entrance into the camp, he thought.**

"But of course." Bluestar purred, and Graystripe asked, "Bluestar? Can you stop interrupting, please?"

"Sorry," she muttered.

**Beyond the gorse, a clearing opened up. **

**...**

**"Sharing tongues?" Rusty echoed.**

"Great Starclan, kittypets are deprived!" Sandstorm mewed in shock. "Not having sharing tongues?" She always knew that her mate had had a good life as a kittypet, bad for clan cat, but still!

**"Clan cats always spend time grooming each other and sharing the news of the day," Whitestorm told him. ...**

**The cats had obviously smelled Rusty's foreign scent, for heads began to turn and stare curiously in his direction.**

"What will they think of you?" Bluestar murmured before realizing that she had interrupted again.

**Suddenly shy of meeting any cat's gaze directly, Rusty looked around the clearing. It was edged with thick grass, dotted with tree stumps and a fallen tree. A thick curtain of ferns and gorse shielded the camp from the rest of the woods.**

The Shadowclan, Windclan, and Riverclan cats leaned forward, eager to learn a more detailed layout of the Thunderclan camp than what they got during battles.

**"Over there," meowed Lionheart, flicking his tail toward an impenetrable-looking tangle of brambles, "is the nursery, where the kits are cared for."**

**... As he watched, a ginger she-cat squirmed out through a small gap in the front. That must be one of the queens, Rusty thought.**

'Goldenflower,' all the Thunderclan cats thought, the future ones saddened.

**A tabby queen with distinctive black markings appeared around the bramble bush. ... **

**meowed Lionheart. "All cats serve the Clan. Loyalty to the Clan is the first law in our warrior code, a lesson you must learn quickly if you wish to stay with us."**

"Extremely quickly." Redtail commented.

**"Here comes Bluestar," meowed Whitestorm, sniffing the air.**

**Rusty sniffed the air too, and was pleased that he was able to recognize the scent of the gray she-cat a moment before she appeared from the shadow of a large boulder that lay beside them at the head of the clearing.**

"Better," Bluestar purred.

**"He came," Bluestar purred, addressing the warriors.**

**Whitestorm replied, "Lionheart was convinced he would not."**

"And why wouldn't he?" Bluestar asked crossly.

**Rusty noticed the tip of Bluestar's tail twitch impatiently. "Well, what do you think of him?" she asked.**

**"He kept up well on the return journey, despite his puny size," Whitestorm admitted. "He certainly seems strong for a kittypet."**

**"So it is agreed?" Bluestar looked at Lionheart and Whitestorm.**

**Both cats nodded.**

"Oh," Crookedstar muttered. That was why they had been traveling like that, to see how well he kept up.

**"Then I shall announce his arrival to the Clan." Bluestar leaped up onto the boulder and yowled, "Let all those cats old enough to catch their own prey join here beneath the Highrock for a Clan meeting."**

"You know, I've always wondered whether or not clans use different calls for clan meetings." Brambleclaw commented. No one bothered to respond.

**Her clear call brought all the cats trotting toward her, ...**

**Beside Graypaw sat a young tortoiseshell queen, her black-tipped tail tucked neatly over small white paws. A large dark gray tabby crouched behind them, the black stripes on his fur looking like shadows on a moonlit forest floor.**

"Spottedleaf and Darkstripe." Bluestar murmured, providing the perfect cover for Firestar, Brambleclaw, and Sandstorm's growls.

**When the cats were still, Bluestar spoke. ...**

**"I have found a cat who is willing to become an apprentice of ThunderClan."**

"Lucky to become an apprentice," Brokenstar hissed.

**"Lucky to become an apprentice," caterwauled a loud voice above the ripple of shock that spread through the cats.**

All the clan cats beside Shadowclan laughed. Brokenstar thought like a Thunderclan warrior!

**Rusty craned his neck and saw a pale tabby cat standing up and glaring defiantly at the leader.**

"Longpaw." Redtail sighed. (AN: Longtail had only become a warrior a few moons before)

**Bluestar ignored the tabby and addressed all of her Clan.**

**...**

**Rusty was sure they must all be able to hear his heart pulsing and smell his fear-scent.**

"And that, would be correct." Sandstorm mewed.

**Now a deafening crescendo of caterwauling rose from the crowd.**

**...**

**"What a strange scent he carries! That's not the scent of any Clan I know!"**

"Of course it isn't, he's a kittypet!" Blackfoot cried.

**Then one yowl in particular sounded out above the rest. ...**

**Lionheart bent down and hissed into Rusty's ear, "That tabby is Longtail.**

"Longpaw is a warrior." Redtail said, surprised.

"Obviously." Sandstorm snorted, while Firestar frowned. Longtail would be portrayed in a bad light in these books when he was really a good cat. Same with Sandstorm and Dustpelt.

**He smells your fear. They all do. You must prove to him and the other cats that your fear won't hold you back."**

"Exactly." Sandstorm said, smiling.

**But Rusty couldn't move. How could he ever prove to these fierce cats that he wasn't just a kittypet?**

"Fight!" Blackfoot cheered.

**The tabby continued to jeer at him. "... looking for the poor lost kittypet who fills the woods with his pitiful tinkling."**

"Exactly." Brokenstar spat. "Perhaps you have a decent cat in Thunderclan after all."

"Wrong." Leafpool said, shooting to her feet and glaring at him. "Longtail sacrificed just about everything for Thunderclan."

"Wha-" Redtail began, only to be interrupted by Sandstorm. "It will probably be in the books."

**All the cats howled in agreement.**

**Longtail went on, well aware that he had the support of his audience. "The noise of your treacherous bell will alert our enemies, even if your Twoleg stench doesn't!"**

"Are you sure about this cat?" Tallstar asked. "He seems pretty... I don't know, Shadowclanish."

"Quite sure." Brambleclaw said firmly.

**Lionheart hissed into Rusty's ear once more: "Do you back down from a challenge?"**

**... Rusty flattened his ears, narrowed his eyes and, hissing, leaped through the startled cats to fling himself onto his tormentor.**

"A kittypet would never do something like that!" Brokenstar mewed in shock.

"Well, he did, so get over it." Graystripe hissed before continuing.

**Longtail was completely unprepared for Rusty's attack. ... The other cats had to spring out of the way to avoid the screeching whirlwind of fur.**

"It was quite fun." Graystripe chuckled.

"Fun?" Sandstorm asked scathingly. "_Fun?_ I nearly had my ear swiped off and was almost rolled on multiple times!"

"I'm sure he's sorry." Firestar told her, laughing.

**As Rusty scratched and struggled, he was suddenly aware that he felt no fear, only exhilaration.**

"That is definitely not your regular kittypet." Crookedstar commented.

**Through the roaring of the blood in his ears, he could hear the cats around them wailing with excitement.**

**Then Rusty felt his collar tighten around his neck. Longtail had gripped it between his teeth and was tugging, and tugging hard. Rusty felt a terrible pressure at his throat. Unable to breathe, he started to panic.**

**He writhed and twisted, but each movement only made the pressure worse.**

"So that's why you were suddenly twisting like that." Sandstorm mused.

**Retching and gulping for air, he summoned up all his strength and tried to pull away from Longtail's grip. And suddenly, with a loud snap, he was free.**

"What?" All those who weren't there or hadn't heard the story looked confused.

**Longtail tumbled away from him. ... And, dangling from Longtail's mouth, Rusty saw his collar, mangled and broken.**

"Aaahh." The same cats said, understanding now.

**At once, Bluestar leaped down from the Highrock and silenced the noisy crowd with a thunderous caterwaul. ... They stared at each other, their hostility not yet spent.**

"Of course." Brambleclaw mewed, amused.

**Bluestar stepped forward and took the collar from Longtail. ... "... StarClan has spoken its approval—this cat has been released from the hold of his Twoleg owners, and is free to join ThunderClan as an apprentice."**

Squirrelflight caterwauled in joy.

**Rusty looked at Bluestar and solemnly nodded his acceptance. ... This time no cat argued or jeered. He had shown himself to be a worthy opponent in battle.**

"I told you all you needed to do was fight." Blackfoot commented.

**Bluestar approached Rusty and placed the shredded collar on the ground in front of him. ... "From this day forward, until he has earned his warrior name, this apprentice will be called Firepaw, in honor of his flame-colored coat."**

At this, all the cats who hadn't known who Firestar was gasped and stared at him. "You're Firepaw?" Bluestar asked.

"Well, Firestar now, but I was, once upon a time, Firepaw." Firestar told them.

"But- You have star in your name." Brokenstar said, amazed and horrified that a kittypet could be a leader.

"It will be in the books." He told them, nodding at Graystripe to continue.

**She stepped back and, with the other cats, waited silently for his next move. Without hesitating, Rusty turned and kicked dust and grass over his collar as though burying his dirt.**

"In a way, you were." Leafpool mused. "You were burying your past, ready to start anew."

**Longtail growled and limped out of the clearing toward a fern-shaded corner. ...**

**...**

**Graystripe said, "... That scar you left on his ear won't let him forget you in a hurry. You've spoiled his good looks, that's for sure."**

"Graystripe!" Bluestar scolded.

"What?" Said cat asked innocently. "You know how much apprentices like to gossip. Almost as bad as the elders."

Then, before his old leader could take it further, he continued reading.

**"Thanks, Graypaw," Firepaw replied. ...**

**"Welcome, young Firepaw!"**

"Thank Starclan that they accepted you." Redtail breathed. It seemed that the clan had accepted the kittypet, especially if he was the leader of Thunderclan in the future.

**Firepaw closed his eyes for a moment and let the voices wash over him.**

**... "She's our medicine cat. Not bad-looking either. Younger and a lot prettier than most—"**

"Graystripe!" Leafpool scolded. "You know that medicine cats can't mate!" As she said this, Squirrelflight's tail moved over her shoulders in a soothing way, and Firestar and Sandstorm both moved closer to her in a protecting way.

This puzzled the present cats.

**A low yowl next to the two cats stopped Graypaw mid speech. ...**

**"Darkstripe," mewed Graypaw, dipping his head respectfully.**

"Should have killed him there and then." Graystripe muttered, interrupting himself.

"You would have been either killed yourself or exiled." Firestar pointed out, while flicking his friend's ears with his tail to alert him to the listening ears.

**The sleek tom looked at Firepaw for a moment. "Lucky your collar snapped when it did. Longtail is a young warrior, but I can't imagine him being beaten by a kittypet!" He spat the word kittypet scornfully, then turned and stalked off.**

"I can't either." Brokenstar hissed.

**"Now Darkstripe," Graypaw hissed to Firepaw under his breath, "is neither young, nor pretty…."**

"Graystripe!" Redtail tried to scold, but couldn't because a, he was laughing too hard, and b, he couldn't be heard over everyone else's laughter.

**Firepaw was about to agree with his new friend when he was interrupted by a warning yowl from an old gray cat sitting at the edge of the clearing.**

**... He was skinny and—apart from the white tip of his long, thin tail—jet black from head to toe.**

"Ravenkit?" Bluestar frowned. "What's wrong?"

"Ravenpaw." Firestar corrected. "He was Ravenpaw then, and... well, you'll have to read to find out."

**Graypaw gasped. "That's Ravenpaw! Why is he alone? Where's Tigerclaw?"**

"Tigerclaw?" Oakheart questioned.

"His mentor." Sandstorm explained.

**Firepaw looked at Ravenpaw staggering across the floor of the clearing. He was panting heavily. His coat was ruffled and dusty, and his eyes were wild with fear.**

"What happened to him?" Redtail asked, worried.

No one answered him.

**"Who are Ravenpaw and Tigerclaw?" Firepaw whispered to Graypaw, as several other cats raced past him to greet the new arrival.**

**"Ravenpaw's an apprentice. Tigerclaw's his mentor," Graypaw explained quickly. "Ravenpaw went out with Tigerclaw and Redtail at sunrise on a mission against RiverClan, the lucky furball!"**

"Mission? Riverclan?" Crookedstar asked, narrowing his eyes. "What are you up to, Bluestar?"

"How am I supposed to know?" Bluestar asked, exasperated. "This is in the future."

**"Redtail?" Firepaw echoed, thoroughly confused by all these names.**

**"Bluestar's deputy," hissed Graypaw. "But why on earth has Ravenpaw come back alone?" he added to himself.**

"Yes. Why is he alone?" Bluestar asked fearfully.

**He lifted his head to listen as Bluestar stepped forward.**

**...**

**"Speak, Ravenpaw!"**

"Yes, Ravenpaw. Speak." Redtail muttered. He wanted to know what had happened to scare the young cat so much.

**Ravenpaw was still struggling for breath, and his sides heaved fitfully while the dust around him turned red with blood,**

"Is he okay?" Bluestar asked worriedly, turning to the future cats.

"Read, Graystripe." Sandstorm said, worry in her eyes as well.

**but still he managed to scramble up onto the Highrock and stand beside Bluestar. He turned to the crowd of eager faces that surrounded him, and summoned enough breath to declare, "Redtail is dead!"**

"What?" Bluestar gasped, turning to her deputy who sat stock still, eyes wide in disbelief and fright.

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><p><strong>Cliffhanger! Sorry, I couldn't help myself. Also, after about an hour and a half of work on this chapter... I don't have any creativity left. I'm afraid I would ruin the moment if I continued it right now. I'll try to update soon, but you know me. It probably won't be for a few weeks. Review!<strong>


	6. Chapter 4

**Thank you to all those who reviewed! You all make me so happy when you do. Anyways, I do not own Warriors. Now, Chapter 6:**

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><p><em><strong>Ravenpaw was still struggling for breath, and his sides heaved fitfully while the dust around him turned red with blood,<strong>_

_"Is he okay?" Bluestar asked worriedly, turning to the future cats._

_"Read, Graystripe." Sandstorm said, worry in her eyes as well._

_**but still he managed to scramble up onto the Highrock and stand beside Bluestar. He turned to the crowd of eager faces that surrounded him, and summoned enough breath to declare, "Redtail is dead!"**_

_"What?" Bluestar gasped, turning to her deputy who sat stock still, eyes wide in disbelief and fright._

* * *

><p>"But- How?" Redtail asked, looking shocked. But then, everyone thought, that was understandable. He just found out that he would die soon.<p>

"We can't tell you anything. I'm sorry." Firestar said sorrowfully, looking at Bluestar's deputy, who he never got to meet.

"What?" Bluestar asked, snapping out of her own shock. "Of course you can!"

"But we can't!" Sandstorm insisted. "If you were meant to find out from us, then we wouldn't have the books."

"Very well." The Thunderclan leader mewed bitterly. "Read, Sandstorm."

Nodding, the she-cat took the book from her friend and began, "**Shocked yowls rose from the Clan cats and echoed through the forest. ..."We m-met five RiverClan warriors beside the stream, not far from the Sunningrocks,"**

Everyone stayed silent. They knew this already.

"**he went on shakily. "Oakheart was among them."**

"Oakheart!" Redtail hissed angrily, while Crookedstar looked disappointed at his deputy. They could all sense where this was going.

Meanwhile, Oakheart himself was looking shocked. He didn't did he? He couldn't have! Looking at Bluestar, she shook her head silently. He felt comforted in that. If the mother of his kits thought not, even when it was her deputy who was killed...

**"Oakheart!" Graypaw gasped beside Firepaw. ... Graypaw was silenced by a fierce glance from the old gray tom who had first sensed Ravenpaw's return.**

"Ah, Smallear." Tallstar said fondly. They had been friends for quite some time, having just missed each other as apprentices and so been close in age.

**Firepaw turned his attention back to Ravenpaw.**

"Good. We want to find out what happened." Bluestar mewed, casting an anxious glance at Redtail, who was staring at the ground silently.

She missed Brambleclaw's almost silent mew, though Redtail once again caught it, "No, you don't." The Thunderclan deputy of the present sent a small, curious glance at the one of the future.

**"Redtail warned Oakheart to keep his hunting parties out of ThunderClan territory. ... He said his Cl-Clan had to be fed, whatever we threatened." Ravenpaw paused to wheeze for breath.**

"But you have fish!" Bluestar yowled angrily at Crookedstar, sticking up for her still silent and once again ground stalker deputy.

"Not all the time," Graystripe said sharply, remembering the time when he and Firestar, then Fireheart, had snuck prey to them.

"But-," Bluestar protested, only to be interrupted by Sandstorm reading.

**His wound was still bleeding heavily, and he stood awkwardly to keep the weight off his shoulder.**

"Get help." Leafpool fretted, worried for her father's old friend.

**"That's when the RiverClan cats attacked. ..." Suddenly Ravenpaw's eyes rolled in his head and he lurched sideways. Half scrambling, half falling, he slithered off the Highrock and collapsed on the ground below.**

"No!" Bluestar screeched, eyes wide with worry.

Oakheart crouched on the ground, eyes filled with worry. He didn't cause anything to happen to an apprentice, did he?

**A ginger queen bounded toward him and crouched at his side. She licked his cheek briefly and called out, "Spottedleaf!"**

"Spottedleaf." Firestar whispered, filled with longing for his old friend.

Sandstorm ran a gentle, soothing tail over her mates shoulders, though she didn't pause in her reading.

**Out of the fern-shaded corner trotted the pretty tortoiseshell Firepaw had noticed sitting beside Graypaw earlier. ... "It's all right, Goldenflower, his wounds aren't fatal. But I'll need to fetch some cobwebs to stop the bleeding."**

"Thank Starclan." All the cats but Brokenstar mewed. With the exception of said cat, none of them thought that apprentices should be killed this early in their lives. Not even Blackfoot.

**As Spottedleaf sprinted back to her den, the hushed silence in the clearing was broken by a mournful howl. ...**

**Between his sharp teeth the warrior held not prey, but the lifeless body of another cat. He dragged the tattered creature into the center of the clearing.**

"No...," Bluestar breathed.

**Firepaw craned his neck and glimpsed a flash of bright ginger tail hanging limply in the dust.**

"It is me." Redtail mewed in shock, breaking his silence.

No one bothered to reply.

**Shock rippled through the Clan like a chill breeze. Beside Firepaw, Graypaw dropped into a crouch as grief swept over him. "Redtail!"**

Bluestar shook with grief and pressed against her deputy.

She earned several looks of pity, especially from Brambleclaw, Firestar, Graystripe, and Sandstorm. They all knew how hard the books would hit her.

**"How did this happen, Tigerclaw?" demanded Bluestar from her position on the Highrock.**

"Yes. How did this happen?" Firestar hissed scornfully. His friend's life was torn apart by this monster's greed. All of the clan's were.

Brambleclaw just shook his head. His father's path to the Dark Forest had begun here.

**Tigerclaw let the scruff of Redtail's neck fall from his mouth. ... "He died with honor, struck down by Oakheart.**

"No!" Bluestar yowled, shocked as she turned on the Riverclan deputy. "How could you?"

He just shook his head and mewed sadly, "I don't know. I just don't know."

Sandstorm saved him by reading again.

**I couldn't save him, but I managed to take Oakheart's life while he was still gloating over his victory."**

"What?" Bluestar gasped, staring at the father of her kits. While he killed Redtail, that didn't mean she wanted him dead. She didn't even believe it until one of her warriors confirmed it.

Crookedstar made a small noise of sadness. He didn't believe that his deputy did it. Oakheart obeyed the Warrior Code.

Oakheart just stared at the ground.

**Tigerclaw's voice was strong and deep. "Redtail's death was not in vain, for I doubt we'll see RiverClan hunters in our territory again."**

"Wrong." Brambleclaw mewed in amusement. "We'll always argue over Sunningrocks." 'Even when we aren't there anymore.' The unspoken sentence was caught by the future cats. And it was true. Thunderclan and Riverclan cats who had lived in the Forest still fought verbal battles over who's it was.

**Firepaw glanced at Graypaw. ...**

**Graystripe replied. "His spirit may have left to join StarClan, but the Clan will share tongues with Redtail one last time."**

"Of course." Tallstar mewed. "It is a tradition that all cats have."

"Clan." Squirrelflight mewed back, "Only clan cats have that tradition. And don't ask how I know." She was remembering the different kittypets and rogues that she had met.

**"StarClan?" Firepaw echoed.**

Graystripe shook his head. "Kittypets are so deprived."

**"It's the tribe of heavenly warriors that watches over all Clan cats. ... Redtail will be among them tonight."**

"The one good thing about dying." Redtail mewed, perking up.

**Firepaw nodded, and Graypaw stepped forward to share tongues with his dead deputy.**

**... The other cats retreated and watched as their leader crouched down to share tongues with her old comrade one last time.**

"Not the last time." Leafpool pointed out. "You'll share tongues in Starclan."

**When she had finished she raised her head and spoke. ... "... He would have made a fine leader."**

"You made, and still do, a good leader." Sandstorm mewed affectionately to her mate, "Better then what Redtail probably could have done. After all, could he have defeated Scourge and saved the clans?"

Firestar purred, pleased that she had such faith in him.

**Then she lowered herself onto her belly, her head bowed, her paws stretched neatly before her, and silently she grieved for her lost friend. ... He had not known Redtail, but he couldn't help feeling moved as he witnessed the Clan mourn.**

"No one can." Leafpool pointed out.

"_I_ can." Brokenstar mewed triumphantly. All he got were looks of scorn.

**Graypaw came and stood beside him again. "Dustpaw will be sad," he remarked.**

**"Dustpaw?"**

**"Redtail's apprentice. That brown-striped tabby over there. I wonder who his new mentor will be?" Firepaw glanced over at the small tom who squatted near Redtail's body, staring unseeing at the ground.**

"Is that Dustkit?" Redtail questioned. "Will he be alright?"

"Dustpelt is fine." Squirrelflight told him, purring. "He made an excellent mentor to me when I was an apprentice, and Ferncloud hasn't mentioned anything."

"Ferncloud?" Bluestar asked.

The cats from the future ignored her and Sandstorm started reading again.

**Firepaw looked past him to the Clan leader. "How long will Bluestar sit with him?" he asked.**

"Probably the whole night." Bluestar mewed. She had been close to her deputy. Not as close as she had been to Oakheart, but...

**"Probably the whole night," replied Graypaw.**

Everyone but Shadowclan cracked up while Graystripe and Bluestar blushed.

**"Redtail was her deputy for many, many moons. ..." ... One of his ears was split into a deep v shape, and a thick scar sliced the bridge of his nose.**

"Handsome doesn't make up for what he's done." Brambleclaw spat. "I don't know what Goldenflower saw in him."

"He managed to hide it well." Firestar pointed out, also giving a pointed look to the surrounding cats who were obviously trying to listen in. No one managed but Redtail, who flicked his tail in confusion. What had alienated the future cats from Tigerclaw, and did it have something to do with his death?

**Suddenly Tigerclaw stood up and stalked over to Ravenpaw. ...**

**"... Let's go and see if he's woken up yet."**

"Are you friends?" Bluestar asked, curious.

"Yes." Graystripe and Firestar mewed simply.

**They made their way through the grieving cats toward the spot where Ravenpaw lay...**

**"So, Spottedleaf." Tigerclaw addressed the tortoiseshell ... "How is he? Do you think you can save him? I've spent a lot of time training him up, and I don't want my efforts to be wasted at the first battle."**

"Yeah, right." Firestar muttered, angry. More likely wanted him to die with all your heart. Oh, wait. That isn't possible, because you don't have one.

Redtail sent him a confused glance. What did these cats have against Tigerclaw?

**Spottedleaf didn't look up from her patient as she replied. ...**

**"Will he live?" Tigerclaw demanded.**

**"Of course. He just needs to rest."**

"That's good." Redtail mewed, relieved.

**Tigerclaw snorted and looked down at the motionless black shape. ...**

**"Look at the length of that claw!" Firepaw hissed.**

"I know, it is huge, isn't it?" Bluestar mewed, amused.

**"Too right!" replied Graypaw with feeling. "I know I wouldn't want to get into a fight with him!"**

"Not so now. I want to rip his throat out!" Graystripe hissed venomously.

**"Not so fast, Tigerclaw!" Spottedleaf placed her paw over Tigerclaw's sharp talon and gently moved it away. ... "Even you know better than to argue with a medicine cat, Tigerclaw."**

"Everyone knows better." Leafpool mewed, amused.

**Tigerclaw's eyes flashed at the little tortoiseshell's words. ... "Who's this?" he asked Graypaw, towering above them.**

"Oh, only Firepaw, probably the greatest cat the clans have ever seen." Brambleclaw mewed in his mentor's ear.

**"He's the new apprentice," Graypaw mewed.**

**"He smells like a kittypet!" snorted the warrior.**

"He is one." Brokenstar and Blackfoot chorused.

**"I was a house cat," Firepaw meowed boldly, "but I am going to train to be a warrior."**

**Tigerclaw looked at him with sudden interest. "... So she's actually going to try you out, is she?"**

"Of course." Bluestar sniffed. "I wouldn't consider just anybody. Just the fact that I considered means you're only a paw step away." This caused Firestar to flick his tail in embarrassment.

**Firepaw sat up very straight, anxious to impress this distinguished Clan warrior. "That's right," he mewed respectfully.**

"Distinguished? Yes," Firestar muttered. "In a good way? No. Respectfully? Not anymore."

**Tigerclaw eyed him thoughtfully. "Then I shall watch your progress with interest."**

**Firepaw puffed his chest out proudly as Tigerclaw stalked away. "Do you think he liked me?"**

"Why did I want him too?" Firestar moaned quietly. Lots of things were coming back, and he wasn't liking them so far.

**"I don't think Tigerclaw likes any apprentices!" whispered Graypaw.**

**...**

**Firepaw realized Spottedleaf was serious, despite the lively glimmer in her warm amber eyes.**

"She always has that glimmer." Redtail mewed. "No matter how serious."

"Even in Starclan." Leafpool thought, having met Thunderclan's old medicine cat.

**"Come on then, Firepaw," mewed Graypaw. ...**

**He was clearly taking his duties as a guide very seriously.**

"But of course." Sandstorm mewed, amused. "Why shouldn't he?"

This caused everyone, but you know whos, to laugh.

**"You know the Highrock already," he began, ... Hanging lichen draped the entrance, sheltering the leader's nest from wind and rain.**

The other clan cats pricked their ears, anxious to learn anything they could about the Thunderclan camp.

**"The warriors sleep over here," Graypaw went on.**

"Ah, the warriors den." Squirrelflight sighed. She never got to enjoy the one in the Forest.

**Firepaw followed him to a large bush a few paces away from the Highrock. ... "... Sometimes they are invited to join the senior warriors for eating, which is a big honor."**

Squirrelflight and Brambleclaw groaned in envy. The only time they were invited over was for a telling off. That was anything but a big honor.

**"What about the other Clan cats?" Firepaw asked, fascinated but feeling rather overwhelmed by all the traditions and rituals of Clan life.**

"Not surprising." Sandstorm mewed, feeling guilty that she hadn't been kinder to him back then.

**"Well, the queens share warrior quarters when they work as warriors, ..."**

**... Crouched among the soft greenery were four elderly cats tucking into a plump young rabbit.**

"Ah, rabbit." Tallstar and Deadfoot groaned.

**"Dustpaw and Sandpaw would have brought them that," whispered Graypaw. ...**

**"Hello, youngster," one of the elders greeted Graypaw.**

"More like elder, now." Squirrelflight mewed teasingly, causing him to cry out, "Hey!" Brambleclaw laughed, only to stop when Graystripe pointed out, "You weren't born that much later."

**"Hello, Smallear," mewed Graypaw, nodding respectfully.**

**...**

**"Have you two eaten?" meowed Smallear. Firepaw and Graypaw both shook their heads.**

**"Well, there's enough here. ... Would you mind if these youngsters shared a mouse, One-eye?"**

**The pale gray queen who lay beside him shook her head. ...**

**"What about you, Dappletail?"**

**The other elder, a tortoiseshell she-cat with a gray muzzle, meowed in a voice cracked with age, "Of course not."**

"They shared." Squirrelflight cried in amazement. "They actually shared! All of them!"

"Yes, in my time, they did." Firestar mewed, amused.

"Don't they still?" Crookedstar asked curiously.

"No," the she-cat groaned, "I had Mousefur among them. The others were willing, but her? She would demand that you sneak her out first, and in that case, you wouldn't see prey for awhile if you were caught."

"So you're quite a time in the future, then?" Redtail asked.

"A bit." Sandstorm mewed, shrugging, before continuing.

**"Thank you," mewed Graypaw eagerly. ...**

**His whole body quivered at the thought of sharing his first real food as a Clan member.**

"It was incredible." Firestar remarked.

**"In that case, you can have first bite. Just save me some!" ...**

**"Fantastic!" mumbled Firepaw, his mouth still full.**

"Incredible." Firestar corrected his past self.

**"Move over then," mewed Graypaw, stepping forward and bending his head to take a bite.**

**...**

**"How long before Bluestar appoints a new deputy?" asked Smallear.**

All of the cats, except Shadowclan, sighed at the reminder of Redtail's death.

**"What did you say, Smallear?" mewed One-eye.**

**...**

**"Dappletail, do you remember the day many moons ago when Bluestar herself was appointed deputy?"**

**Dappletail mewed earnestly, "Oh, yes! It was not long after she lost her kits."**

Oakheart and Bluestar shifted nervously while the future cats glanced at them knowingly.

**"She'll not be happy to be appointing a new deputy," Smallear observed. "... According to Clan custom, the choice has to be made before moonhigh after the death of the old deputy."**

"But of course, that doesn't always happen." Firestar muttered. In his lifetime, he had witnessed two that hadn't- his own and Brambleclaw's, if you counted the fact that he waited moons before accepting Graystripe's death. But then, he hadn't been dead anyway.

**"At least this time the choice is obvious," meowed Halftail.**

**... Tigerclaw was sitting not far off, his ears angled toward the elders' conversation.**

All the future cats narrowed their eyes.

**As Firepaw stretched with his tongue to lick the last traces of mouse from his whiskers, Bluestar's voice called from the Highrock. ...**

**Firepaw looked at Tigerclaw. He couldn't help noticing the hunger in the big warrior's amber eyes as he stared up at the Highrock.**

Once again, all the future cats narrowed their eyes. There was just one difference. All of the present ones did as well.

**"Lionheart," meowed Bluestar, "will be the new deputy of ThunderClan."**

Bluestar nodded, satisfied that she had made a good choice. Redtail thought the same of his successor.

**Firepaw was curious to see Tigerclaw's reaction. But the dark warrior's face revealed nothing as he moved to congratulate Lionheart with a nudge so hearty that it almost pushed the golden tabby off balance.**

"Probably on purpose." Graystripe hissed, angry that Tigerclaw had meant to hurt his old mentor.

**"Why didn't she make Tigerclaw deputy?" Firepaw whispered to Graypaw.**

**"Probably because Lionheart has been a warrior longer, so he has a lot more experience," Graypaw murmured back, still looking up at Bluestar.**

"Probably." Bluestar noted.

**Bluestar spoke again. "Redtail was also mentor to young Dustpaw. Since there must be no delay in the training of our apprentices, I shall appoint Dustpaw's new mentor immediately. Darkstripe, you are ready for your first apprentice, so you will continue Dustpaw's training. You had a fine mentor in Tigerclaw, and I expect you to pass on some of the excellent skills you were taught."**

"Biggest mistake ever," Sandstorm commented, "Though Dustpelt turned out okay."

Meanwhile, Squirrelflight cried out, "My mentor was mentored by Darkstripe, who was mentored by Tigerclaw? Yuck!" and caused the future cats to laugh at her choice of words. The present cats were confused. Wasn't that good?

At the same time, Brambleclaw was surprised. He hadn't known that Dustpelt had ties to his father.

**The tabby warrior swelled with pride as he showed his acceptance with a solemn nod. ... Dustpaw flicked his tail respectfully, but his eyes were still dull with grief for his lost mentor.**

Redtail bowed his head, sorry that he had caused his apprentice grief, yet happy at the same time. It showed that they had had a strong relationship.

**Bluestar raised her voice. ...**

**"Should we sit with them too?" Firepaw suggested. He had to admit the idea didn't appeal to him much.**

"No," Redtail said, shaking his head. "You never knew me, and Graystripe and I weren't close."

**It had been a busy day and he was beginning to feel tired. ...**

**Firepaw followed Graypaw to a thick bush of ferns that lay behind a mossy tree stump.**

"Ah. So many good times." All the Thunderclan cats sighed, reminiscing their old days as apprentices.

**"All the apprentices share their fresh-kill by this stump," Graypaw told him.**

**"How many apprentices are there?" Firepaw asked.**

**"Not as many as usual—just me, you, Ravenpaw, Dustpaw, and Sandpaw."**

"Not as many as usual?" Leafpool asked, surprised. "But we're lucky to have more than three!"

"Yes, well, not as many have kits anymore." Sandstorm told her daughter. "And they don't overlap very well."

**As Graypaw and Firepaw settled themselves beside the tree stump, a young she-cat crawled out from beneath the ferns. Her coat was ginger, like Firepaw's, but much paler, with barely visible stripes of darker fur.**

"Firestar," Sandstorm muttered in her mate's ear, "Before I continue, I just want to say that I'm sorry for how I treated you."

"I've forgiven you already." Firestar told her, licking her ear in affection.

**"So here comes the new apprentice!" she meowed, narrowing her eyes.**

**...**

**The young cat sniffed rudely. "He smells like a kittypet! Don't tell me I'm going to have to share my nest with that revolting stench!"**

All the present cats stared at her in shock. "But aren't you mates?" Tallstar asked.

"We are now," Firestar told them, "But we weren't very close until we were warriors."

**Firepaw felt rather taken aback. Since his fight with Longtail, all the cats had been quite friendly. Maybe they had just been distracted by Ravenpaw's news, he thought.**

"No," Sandstorm mewed morosely, "And I'm sorry."

"Stop apologizing." Brambleclaw told her, slightly amused, "Firestar said he forgave you, and he must have, since you have kits."

She flicked her tail in embarrassment and continued.

**"You'll have to excuse Sandpaw," apologized Graypaw.**

**...**

**Sandpaw held up her head and looked defiant. "I'm sorry, Whitestorm," she purred, not sounding sorry at all. "I just didn't expect to be training with a kittypet, that's all!"**

"No one does," murmured Brokenstar, "I pity you."

Sandstorm hissed defiantly, "Don't!"

**"I'm sure you'll get used to it, Sandpaw," meowed Whitestorm calmly.**

**...**

**"Where do I sleep?" Firepaw asked.**

"Anywhere." All the Thunderclan cats mewed, still lost in their apprentice days.

**"Anywhere, just so long as it's not near me!" snarled Sandpaw, who was prodding some moss with her paw.**

"Sandstorm, don't be rude." Redtail scolded.

She blushed - or as close as a cat could - and continued.

**Graypaw and Firepaw exchanged glances, but said nothing. ... He was a member of ThunderClan.**

"And that's it." Sandstorm announced.

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><p><strong>Phew! Glad that's done. Also, I'm sorry for putting it off for a month. I'll try to do better next time. Please review! Oh, and also, I'm thinking of bringing Dustpelt in. If I do, it will be during the next chapter, when Firepaw first officially meets Dustpaw. Let me know!<strong>


	7. Chapter 5 and Dustpelt's Incoming

**No! I didn't do better this time! I am so sorry, it's just been that I've been so busy. School, activities, other stories, sister taking the computer, etc. However, the last day of school was last week, so, I'm freer then before. However, this is the last chapter that I have managed to find online - and even then, only half, one of the reasons this chapter has taken so long - , so updates should be sooner, but they might not.**

**However - woah, I'm saying a lot of 'however's - if you would like to type up the chapters and PM them to me, that would be great. Just don't put it in a review! That would be crazy long, and I wouldn't get to see all of it. And you don't have to do it, but it would be really helpful. The chapters would definitely be published faster.**

**Dustpelt will be coming in in this chapter, thanks to the people who told me to. That is actually part of the reason this chapter has taken so long. If there are others you want me to bring in, just ask. If I like the idea, I will.**

**fotifail12 - No, I will not be bringing in Lionblaze, Jayfeather, and Hollyleaf. However - another 'however'! - I might bring in others.**

**Night of Starclan - Great idea! The credit to that idea goes to you.**

**Thank you to all others who reviewed. I do not own Warriors, as I am not more than one person.**

**Chapter 7:**

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><p>"So who's reading next?" Brambleclaw questioned.<p>

The cats all stared at each other.

"Umm... How about Tallstar? He hasn't read yet." Leafpool suggested.

"Alright," the WindClan leader agreed, taking the book from Sandstorm. He started, **"Hey, Firepaw, wake up!" Graypaw's meow broke into Firepaw's dream. He had been chasing a squirrel, up and up, into the topmost branches of a tall oak.**

"So that's why you were kicking me!" Sandstorm exclaimed. "Another hunting dream!"

"I was not!" Firestar protested.

"Yes, you were," Graystripe mewed, amused.

"May I carry on?" Tallstar asked, annoyed.

At their sheepish nods, he continued, **"Training begins at sunrise. Dustpaw and Sandpaw are already up," Graypaw added urgently.**

"Of course we were," Sandstorm said smugly, "The early cat catches the mice."

Firestar and Graystripe looked ready to protest, but at Tallstar's glare, the two toms shut their mouths.

**Firepaw stretched sleepily, then remembered: today was his first day of training. He leaped to his paws. His drowsiness evaporated as excitement surged through his veins.**

"Ah, adrenaline," Squirrelflight sighed.

"Such a beautiful thing," her mate, Brambleclaw, added.

**Graypaw was giving himself a hasty wash. ... "They'll be waiting!"**

"It's good to keep Tigerst- claw waiting," Firestar muttered, hurriedly correcting himself.

He avoided Redtail's curious gaze.

**Graypaw led Firepaw quickly through the gorse entrance of the camp and up the side of the rock-strewn valley. ... Firepaw felt fierce joy well up inside him as he followed Graypaw down a tree-shaded slope and into a sandy hollow. Tigerclaw and Lionheart were indeed waiting, sitting a few tail-lengths apart on the sun-warmed sand.**

"A sandy hollow," Brokenstar muttered to his deputy, "Remember that. We might be able to get some young apprentices from there. Maybe even some kits who snuck out to watch."

Blackfoot nodded, though he was uneasy about it. He may go along with his leader, but that didn't mean that he liked it.

Neither of them noticed Firestar, Sandstorm, and Graystripe's eyes on them. Having been around for when the kits were taken, they suspected what the exchange was about.

**"In future, I expect you both to be punctual," growled Tigerclaw.**

**... "For now, Tigerclaw and I will share your training." - Lionheart**

Brambleclaw glanced at his old mentor in astonishment. "Tigerclaw trained you? But I thought tha-"

"She did," Sandstorm interrupted him. "Just later on."

"And yes, I received the first part of my training from Tigerclaw and Lionheart," Firestar told his old apprentice.

Squirrelflight stared at her father, as did Leafpool. They hadn't known, and now... they didn't know what to think.

The present cats stared at the future ones in suspicion. "You thought what?" Bluestar questioned.

"Nothing, it will be revealed later on," Firestar told her, nodding to Tallstar to continue.

**Firepaw nodded enthusiastically, his tail held high, unable to disguise his delight at having two such great warriors as his mentors.**

"Great?" Firestar yowled, unable to hold himself in this time. "As if! You dirty, foxheart-"

He was unable to continue as a total of five different tails found their way into his mouth.

"Quiet, old friend," Graystripe muttered.

The present cats stared at them.

"What are you hiding?" Oakheart muttered. "And why do I get the feeling that we want, and yet do not want, to know?"

**"Come," meowed Tigerclaw impatiently. ... Without another word, Tigerclaw leaped up and bounded out of the sandy hollow.**

"You dirty, foxhearted, ..." Graystripe found himself repeating what his friend and leader had said, continuing on around Leafpool's tail. How dare Tigerclaw try to take over his training! Lionheart was his mentor, not him!

**Lionheart nodded to Graypaw and they took off with equal speed. ... "There is a Twoleg path here," murmured Lionheart. "Use your nose, Firepaw. Can you smell anything?"**

"Of course not," Brokenstar sneered. "He is a dirty kittyp-"

Tallstar continued reading, ignoring the bundle of fighting cats - consisting of all the future cats, but Firestar himself, who contented himself with watching proudly, and the ShadowClan leader - behind him.

**Firepaw sniffed. There was the faint scent of a Twoleg, and the stronger smell of a dog, familiar to him from his old home. "A Twoleg has walked his dog along here, but they are gone now," he mewed.**

"Good, for a kittypet," Crookedstar and Blackfoot both muttered. No one noticed that they spoke in unison but Redtail, who gaped at them mentally.

**"Good," meowed Lionheart. "Do you think it is safe to cross?"**

**... "Yes," he replied.**

"Do not trust him!" Brokenstar yowled, as best he could, from his ever tumbling position. With a series of hisses, the cats he was still fighting renewed themselves with more strength and attacked even more ferociously.

**Tigerclaw nodded, and the four cats stalked out from beneath the ferns and crossed the sharp stones of the narrow Twoleg path.**

**... Firepaw sensed tension in the other cats as they stalked unprotected between the tree trunks.**

The fighting cats broke apart to listen.

**"Twolegs put these trees here," meowed Tigerclaw. ...**

**The cats padded on through the pine forest.**

"Which should be ShadowClan's territory," Brokenstar meowed from where he was licking his wounds.

"Never!" All the Thunderclan cats, both present and future, yowled, leaping on him.

Yowling as well, Blackfoot leaped into the fighting, defending his leader.

Tallstar read on, once again ignoring a bundle of fighting cats.

**"Twolegplace lies in that direction," meowed Tigerclaw ...**** But Firepaw still sensed anxiety in the other cats.**

The fighting cats broke apart, each clan separating, hissing, to separate sides of the clearing, ShadowClan to the west and ThunderClan to the east. RiverClan, sitting to the north, and between the two, fidgeted nervously. WindClan, to the south, glanced at the two clans, then at RiverClan, but otherwise ignored them. Tallstar read on.

**"We're approaching RiverClan territory," whispered Graypaw.**

"We've got spirit, yes we do, we've got spirit, how 'bout you?" Oakheart chanted.

At curious looks, he protested, "Come on, you know, the kit song? The one every kit learns and cheers when they watch play fighting or do it themselves?"

"Yes," Leafpool said slowly, "But why are you, RiverClan's deputy, doing it?"

Tallstar read on to spare what dignity the cat had left.

"**The Sunningrocks are over there." He pointed with his soft muzzle to a treeless mound of boulders.**

"They should be ours!" Crookedstar hissed angrily.

Bluestar opened her mouth to retaliate, but was interrupted by ThunderClan's future leader, "Enough! Don't you remember what happened last time?"

Tallstar, sensing the tension, continued.

**Firepaw felt his fur stand on end. ...**** And he was also surprised to realize just how familiar and comforting the ThunderClan scents seemed to him already.**

"As it should be," Redtail purred, smiling at his future clanmate.

**"That is the smell of RiverClan," Tigerclaw growled beside him. ...**

**"What is Fourtrees?" Firepaw panted.**

"Not knowing about Fourtrees!" Brambleclaw and Squirrelflight exclaimed in unison. "The horror!"

**"It is where the territories of all four Clans meet," replied Graypaw. ...**

**"Be quiet!" ordered Tigerclaw. "Don't forget how close we are to enemy territory!"**

"He was just explaining," Bluestar murmured. "Do not curb his wanting to help his new friend."

**The two apprentices fell silent and Firepaw concentrated on walking silently. ... ****Below, in the dazzling sunlight, stood four enormous oaks, their dark green crowns reaching almost to the top of the steep slope.**

The present cats smiled in remembrance, but the future cats sighed in longing. "It has been what seems like forever," Graystripe moaned.

**"As Graypaw told you," meowed Lionheart to Firepaw, "... WindClan governs the high ground ahead of us, where the sun sets. You won't be able to catch their scent today—the wind is blowing toward them. But you'll learn it soon enough."**

"We. Are. Awesome!" Deadfoot cheered.

**"And ShadowClan holds power over there, in the darkest part of the forest," added Graypaw, flicking his head sideways. "The elders say that the cold winds from the north blow over the ShadowClan cats and chill their hearts."**

"They are quite right," Brokenstar purred, well, coldly.

**"So many Clans!" Firepaw exclaimed. And so well organized, he added to himself, remembering Smudge's lurid tales of wildcats wreaking terror in the forest.**

"Ugh! KIttypets are terrible gossipers!" Graystripe exclaimed, remembering his time as one.

**"You see now why prey is so precious," meowed Lionheart. "Why we must fight to protect what little we have."**

**"But that seems foolish! Why can't the Clans work together and share their hunting grounds, instead of fighting each other?" Firepaw suggested boldly.**

**A shocked silence greeted his words.**

As it did now. The cats all stared at Firestar, while he did his best to stare at himself, in shock.

**Tigerclaw was the first to reply. "That is treacherous thinking, kittypet," he snapped.**

**"Don't be too fierce, Tigerclaw," warned Lionheart. ... "You speak from your heart, young Firepaw. This will make you a stronger warrior one day."**

"It did and still does," Sandstorm purred, nuzzling her mate.

**Tigerclaw growled. "Or it might make him give in to kittypet weakness right at the moment of attack."**

"Never!" All the ThunderClan cats spat.

**Lionheart glanced briefly at Tigerclaw before he continued. ****...**

**"Then there must be a meeting very soon?" Firepaw suggested, remembering how bright the moonlight had been the night before.**

"Very good!" Bluestar mewed, impressed.

**"Indeed there is!" answered Lionheart, sounding impressed. ...**

**"It is our Clan loyalty that makes us strong," Tigerclaw meowed in agreement. "If you weaken that loyalty, you weaken our chances for survival."**

"Didn't stop you!" Firestar mewed venomously under his breath.

**Firepaw nodded. "I understand," he mewed.**

"It is you that did not," Firestar finished.

Redtail, having caught both of his sentences, stared at him in puzzlement.

**"Come on," meowed Lionheart, standing up. ...**

**A new cat-scent touched his mouth glands, strong and sour. "Which clan is that?" he asked.**

"ShadowClan," Squirrelflight mewed, disgusted, "Yuck!"

**"ShadowClan," answered Tigerclaw grimly. **

**...**

**"Are we at the edge of the woods?" he asked.**

"Not quite," Blackfoot muttered, properly guessing where they were.

**Then he stopped and took a deep breath. ... And the rumbling was getting louder, a ceaseless roar that made the ground tremble and ached in Firepaw's ears.**

"Double yuck!" Squirrelflight exclaimed, "ShadowClan and the Thunderpath!"

Sandstorm whacked her kit over the head with her tail. "Honestly, what happened to you manners? I know that Firestar and I taught you some, as did Dustpelt! Have they disappeared?"

**"This is the Thunderpath," meowed Tigerclaw.**

**...**

**Next moment he leaped back, his fur bristling, as a gigantic monster roared past. ... He had seen paths like this before near his old Twoleg home, but never this wide, nor with monsters so swift and fierce.**

Firestar sank down to the ground heavily, remembering Cinderpelt. What had she thought when she realized what was happening? How scared had she been?

Sandstorm, realizing what was going on in his head, pulled his shivering body close to her. Laying down next to him, they began sharing tongues.

Leafpool pressed close to her sister. Squirrelflight pressed back. It was hard to see their father like that.

Brambleclaw and Graystripe, knowing that they would all be alright, nodded simultaneously to Tallstar, telling him to continue.

He did so, but kept sending glances to the four cats. What had happened?

**"Scared me too the first time," remarked Graypaw. "But at least it helps to keep Shadowclan warriors from crossing into our territory.**

"Not," Graystripe muttered, remembering the tunnel underneath.

**The Thunderpath runs for many pawsteps along our boundary line. And don't worry; those monsters never seem to leave the Thunderpath.**

"Not," Squirrelflight muttered, remembering her journey with the other cats, both with all of the clans and with out.

**You'll be fine as long as you don't go too near."**

**"It's time we returned to camp," meowed Lionheart. "... I expect you are getting tired, Firepaw."**

"Good call," Bluestar muttered.

**Firepaw couldn't help feeling relieved at the thought of returning to the camp. ..****. Firepaw and Graypaw took their share from the pile that lay in a shady part of the clearing and carried it to the tree stump outside their quarters.**

Tallstar was about to continue when a crashing sound filled the air, before all was silent. The cats looked around, startled.

"What's going on?" Crookedstar asked warily, standing up slowly.

"I don't know," Bluestar remarked, doing the same.

Then, the noise started up again as a dark brown tabby tom fell from the sky. Well, not fell. It looked like he was being lowered and had no idea of what was going on. Indeed, they realized that the crashing sound had been yowling so mixed up that not a mew was understood.

Then, the cat landed and they were able to distinguish words. "-tail, I can't believe you! And don't even try to deny it! There is no reason for you to kick me, and yowl in my ear, and kick your nest all over me whenever you sleep! And you have a mate, too! Why isn't Brightheart defending me? But no, she says she doesn't know what's going on! But how? You share a nest! It is unbelievable, Cloudtail! And I intend to discuss this later, when Ferncloud isn't waiting for me to go hunting with her!"

And with this, the cat spun around from where he had been yowling animatedly at Blackfoot - who was looking quite startled - and marched straight into a tree.

Groaning, he stumbled back. "Where did this tree come from?" He grumbled, staring at it.

"It's been there all along, Dustpelt," Squirrelflight managed to choke out. Her and Brambleclaw had been rolling on the ground, laughing their heads off.

"Wha- Squirrelflight?"

Now, Leafpool hurried forward. "You didn't hurt yourself, did you?" She asked anxiously.

"Leafpool? And no, no I didn't. But I'm confused. What is going on?"

"Yes, what is?" Blackfoot asked angrily. "What in the name of Starclan were you yelling at me for?"

Dustpelt spun around quickly at the familiar voice. "Blackstar!" He gasped, causing the future cats to face-paw and the present to gape. "I thought- I thought you were Cloudtail! I'm sorry, I just,"

"Enough, Dustpelt," Firestar said, sighing. "And take a closer look at that cat. What is different?"

Dustpelt - for that was his name, the present cats realized - spun around again to stare at the ShadowClan _deputy_. "He looks... younger. Not as old. And," here he frowned, "not as many scars. Hey! The one that tore up your ear is gone! But how? I gave you that!"

"You tore up my ear?" Blackfoot cried. "And are you calling me _old_?"

"Yes, yes," the ThunderClan warrior meowed distractedly, circling him. "Firestar, what is going on?"

"It is simple. We have been sent back in time by StarClan to read books about me with the leaders and deputies of the Clans from before I joined ThunderClan."

At this, Dustpelt stopped his circling. "You mean... Blackstar is still Blackfoot?"

"Yes, exactly," Firestar said, amusement creeping into his mew as he looked at Dustpelt's fearful voice.

"And I don't suppose he knew?"

"No, he did not."

Dustpelt nodded, muttered something that sent Squirrelflight and Brambleclaw into fits of laughter again - Dustpelt said sorry! - and took another look around.

When his gaze fell on Bluestar and Redtail, he raced right for them. "I don't believe it! It's so amazing! I can't believe I get to see you again!"

Redtail purred at his future apprentice's enthusiasm but mewed gently, "We are from way before Firestar came. You and Sandstorm are still kits in our time."

Dustpelt hesitated for a second before replying. "It doesn't matter. It still gives me more time with you."

Redtail smiled at his response, then told Tallstar, "You can read again."

Nodding, the WindClan leader did just that.

**Dustpaw and Sandpaw were already there, munching hungrily.**

**"Hi, there, kittypet," mewed Dustpaw, narrowing his eyes scornfully at Firepaw. "Enjoy the food we caught for you."**

Dustpelt inched over to Firestar and muttered, "I apologize for my behavior back then."

His leader waved it off and said, "Sandstorm already apologized for both of you, and it doesn't matter. That is in the past, same as us."

Dustpelt smiled, relieved, and went to sit next to Redtail again.

**"Who knows, you might even learn to catch your own one day!" sneered Sandpaw.**

"And you did," Sandstorm mewed proudly.

"Yes," Firestar said, "But you are still the best hunter in the Clan."

She purred in pleasure.

**"Are you two still on hunting duty?" asked Graypaw innocently. "Never mind. We've been patrolling our territory borders. You'll be glad to know all is safe."**

"Graystripe," Bluestar groaned, "No need to provoke them."

The tom's jaw dropped, "Me? They started it!"

Tallstar quickly read on when he saw Firestar, Dustpelt, and Sandstorm readying themselves to join in.

**"I'm sure the other Clans were terrified when they smelled you two coming!" yowled Dustpaw.**

"Always!" The ThunderClan cats from the future yowled in unison, unable to hide in their respect and pride for their leader and old deputy.

**"They didn't even dare show their faces," retorted Graypaw, unable to hide his anger.**

**"Well, we'll ask them tonight when we see them at the Clan Gathering," mewed Sandpaw.**

**"Are you going?" Firepaw blurted out, impressed in spite of the apprentices' hostility.**

"Firestar!" Graystripe cried.

"Sorry!" He protested.

**"Of course," replied Dustpaw loftily. "It's a great honor, you know. But don't worry, we'll tell you all about it in the morning."**

"Wait, hold up," Squirrelflight said. "Going is a great honor? Since when?"

"Since... I don't know when it started or stopped," Firestar mused. "But back then, it was."

"It isn't now?" Crookedstar mewed, surprised.

"No," Dustpelt said, shaking his head. "Now, most of the Clan goes. Especially if you are a new apprentice or warrior."

**Graypaw ignored Dustpaw's gloating and started eating his fresh-kill. ...**

**"Bye, you two," called Sandpaw over her shoulder. "Have a nice, quiet evening!"**

"I love those," Graystripe groaned.

"Now," Firestar laughed, "But that's because of the Three B's."

"Three B's?" Bluestar questioned.

"My kits," he groaned, "Blossomkit, Bumblekit, and Briarkit. Never a quiet night with them."

"But in the old days, we longed for adventure," Firestar sighed.

Tallstar, sensing a story coming, read on.

**The assembled cats stalked out of the camp entrance in single file, with Bluestar at the head. Her fur glowed like silver in the moonlight, and she looked calm and confident as she led her Clan to the brief truce between old enemies.**

"Thank you," Bluestar mewed, smiling at the compliment.

Firestar nodded, but inside he was squirming. How would his old leader and mentor react when she found out about Tigerclaw? Would she go back into her state? And if so - or not - how would she react to reading about her state?

Dustpelt, Graystripe, Brambleclaw, and Sandstorm, guessing what he was thinking about, glanced at Bluestar worriedly. Redtail, catching it, asked Dustpelt quietly, "What is it?"

"Nothing."

**"Have you ever been to a Gathering?" Firepaw asked Graypaw wistfully.**

**"Not yet," replied Graypaw, crunching loudly on a mouse bone. "But it won't be long now; just you wait. All the apprentices get to go sometime."**

"Yeah," Squirrelflight said, grinning, "Like, the first one since they became one."

Those who hadn't done that glared at her.

She asked innocently, "Yes?"

Tallstar rolled his eyes and continued.

**The two apprentices ate the rest of their meal in silence. ...**

**"You'll hear all about it later, if I know those two," Graypaw had mewed.**

"That hasn't changed," Brambleclaw mewed, amused.

**It promised to be another warm day. And this time Ravenpaw came to join them. Thanks to Spottedleaf, his wound was healing well.**

"Thank StarClan," Bluestar breathed.

**Graypaw played around, scooping leaves into the air and leaping after them. ...**

**"Cheer up, Ravenpaw!" called Graypaw. "I know you don't like training, but you're not usually this miserable!"**

"Normally what he went through hadn't just happened," Firestar muttered darkly.

**The scents of Lionheart and Tigerclaw warned the apprentices of their approach, and Ravenpaw mewed hastily, "I suppose I'm just worried about my shoulder getting hurt again."**

"Wrong thing to say," Graystripe said sadly, remembering Tigerclaw's reaction.

**At that moment, Tigerclaw emerged from the bushes, closely followed by Lionheart.**

**"Warriors should suffer their pain silently," growled Tigerclaw. He looked Ravenpaw straight in the eye. "You need to learn to hold your tongue."**

**Ravenpaw flinched and dropped his eyes to the ground.**

"Tigerclaw," Redtail said sternly before turning to the future cats. "Does he get better at mentoring?"

"No," Sandstorm meowed.

Redtail and Bluestar nodded, sighing.

**"Tigerclaw's a bit grumpy today," Graypaw whispered into Firepaw's ear.**

"Graypaw!" Bluestar exclaimed, looking at Graystripe.

"What are you looking at me for?" He asked, "I'm Graystripe, not Graypaw, remember?"

All the cats rolled their eyes.

**Lionheart glanced at his apprentice sternly and announced, "... Can any of you tell me why?"**

"Ooh! Ooh! Pick me, pick me!" Brambleclaw cried, mimicking Squirrelflight from when she was an apprentice.

"Hey!" Said she-cat protested, "That was seasons ago!"

Everyone else chuckled quietly.

**Firepaw had no idea, and Ravenpaw seemed to have taken Tigerclaw's comment to heart and was holding his tongue.**

**"Come on!" snorted Tigerclaw impatiently.**

"Yes, come on!" Blackfoot urged. He and the rest of the nonThunderClan cats were leaning forward, anxious to learn some of their secrets.

**It was Graypaw who answered: ...**

**"Step lightly?" Firepaw suggested.**

"Good job, for a kittypet." Crookedstar grunted, before apologizing at their looks, "Not many would know that. It was a compliment."

**Lionheart looked approvingly at him. ...**

**"Keep your rear down, Ravenpaw, you look like a duck!" spat Tigerclaw.**

Redtail and Bluestar both shook their heads, resigning themselves to this kind of mentoring from the tabby.

**"Now you try it, Firepaw."**

**...**

**"Well, it's obvious you've known nothing but softness!" growled Tigerclaw. "You stalk like a lumbering kittypet! Do you think that dinner is going to come and lie down in your food dish and wait to be eaten?"**

"Hey!" Dustpelt objected, "Firestar learned quickly!"

"Although, Sandstorm will always be the best hunter," Firestar mewed proudly.

**Firepaw sat up quickly as Tigerclaw spoke, a little taken aback by his harsh words. ...**

**"His pace and forward movement will come later, but his crouch is perfectly balanced," Lionheart pointed out mildly.**

"Told you," Dustpelt mewed.

**"Which is better than Ravenpaw, I suppose," ...**

**Ravenpaw looked even more dejected, and Firepaw couldn't stop himself from blurting out, "His injury is bothering him, that's all!"**

"If only I hadn't said that," Firestar moaned. "Tigerclaw only said more to Ravenpaw for that."

"It wasn't your fault, it was his," Graystripe pointed out. "He should've known that, as Ravenpaw's first battle injury, it would be bothering him."

"Yes, but still..."

"Forget it, Firestar," Bluestar mewed gently. "Graystripe is right."

Firestar hesitated, then nodded.

**Tigerclaw whipped his head around and glared at Firepaw. "... Imagine being shown up by a kittypet!" he spat angrily at his apprentice.**

"Kittypets can learn, if we let them," Graystripe mewed, remembering Millie, his mate.

**Firepaw felt his fur prickle with discomfort. ...**

**"Well, I'm more lopsided than a one-legged badger," mewed Graypaw, breaking off from his careful stalking to stagger comically across the clearing. "I think I'll have to settle for hunting stupid mice. They won't stand a chance. I shall just wander up to them and sit on them till they surrender."**

At this, everyone laughed.

**"Concentrate, young Graypaw. ..." meowed Lionheart sternly. "Perhaps you might focus your mind better if you try out your stalking for real."**

**All three apprentices looked up brightly.**

"They always do when you say that," Oakheart sighed, smiling.

**"I want each one of you to try catching real prey," meowed Lionheart. ...**

**The three apprentices bounded away, even Ravenpaw finding some extra energy for this challenge.**

"I agree with Oakheart," Deadfoot mewed, also smiling. "Trying things out for real always perks up apprentices."

"No matter what clan," Brambleclaw added.

"No matter what type," Leafpool put in, remembering her apprentice days and Hollypaw and Jaypaw's.

**With the blood pounding in his ears, Firepaw crept slowly up over the rise. ...**

**He watched for any tiny movement, his mouth open so he could pick up the smallest scent, his ears twisted forward.**

All of the cats leaned forward, eager to hear how he did. The nonThunderClan cats also wanted to find out how he did it.

**Then he smelled mouse. ...**

**He killed it quickly with one sharp bite.**

"My first kill," Firestar said, sighing happily in remembrance.

**Firepaw carefully lifted the warm body between his teeth and returned with his tail held high to the hollow where Tigerclaw and Lionheart waited. He had made his first kill. He was a true ThunderClan apprentice now.**

"You already were," Bluestar told him, "I gave you an apprentice name, and assigned you a mentor. Granted, it was two, until you could get a permanent one, but still."

"Thank you," Firestar smiled.

"That's it," Tallstar told everyone when they looked at him to continue.

* * *

><p><strong>Done! That is the longest chapter yet, both in time making it and in length. Now, I was planning on having a surprise for you all in this chapter. However, if I did that, it wouldn't be up until tomorrow. So, I will bring in Ravenpaw next chapter. If you want me too. And yes, he will be from the same time period as all the other future cats. So... review! Tell me what you think about the first chapter in fanfiction that has ever taken me five days to complete!<strong>


	8. Ravenpaw's Arrival

**Right! So, Ravenpaw is coming in this chapter. Also, thank you to all those who reviewed. You all make me so happy!**

**Wolf's Willow- Last chapter, in my AN, I said that I wouldn't be bringing in Hollyleaf, Lionblaze, and Jayfeather. However, I might do the other three. If I do, it will probably only be for Firestar's Quest, though.**

**Night of Starclan- You're welcome! I loved doing it.**

**Species Unknown- Thank you for doing it with 'times 9000' this time! *grin* Much easier to read.**

**Here we go!**

Chapter 8:

"So, who's reading next?" Tallstar questioned after everyone had stared at him for a bit.

"I don't know," Firestar said, shrugging. "Who wants to?"

"I wi-" Brokenstar started to say pompously, but he was interrupted by the sound of a cat.

"Barley! Where are you? Where am I? Barley!"

At this, Firestar, Sandstorm, Graystripe, Brambleclaw, Dustpelt, Leafpool, and Squirrelflight twisted their ears so as to listen better, also twisting their bodies in excitement.

"Ravenpaw!" Firestar yowled, eyes gleaming in excitement, as he interrupted the other cat.

There was a pause, then an answering yowl, filled with amazement. "Firestar? What? How?"

"Follow my voice!" Sandstorm put in, ever the voice of reason.

"Sandstorm? Is that you?"

"Yes, it's her!" Squirrelflight broke in. "Just do as she says and follow our voices!"

"Squirrelpaw? Although I suppose you've gained your warrior name by now!"

At this, Bluestar frowned. "How does he not know your warrior name? He is of Thunderclan, is he not?"

"You know him as Ravenkit," Graystripe told her, a grin across his face. "And it will all be explained in the books, probably. If we go that far."

She nodded slowly, still confused.

"Is Leafpaw there as well?" Ravenpaw yowled. "Although she probably has her medicine cat name by now, too!"

"We both do!" Leafpool called back. "And you're almost here! Just a little bit farther!"

Brokenstar put in, "Although if you want to stay out there, it's fine! After all, you deserve it, for interrupting me!"

There was another pause, and then, "Tell me my ears are deceiving me! I hear Brokenstar!"

"They are not, unfortunately," Brambleclaw called, ignoring Brokenstar's hiss of fury. "He is here, along with Blackfoot, Tallstar, Deadfoot, Crookedstar, Oakheart, Bluestar, and Redtail. They are from before Firestar came to the clans."

There was a yowl of excitement, followed by a black cat with a white tipped tail crashing through some holly bushes on the side of the clearing.

Tails weaving in welcome, purrs filling the air, the future cats surrounded him. "I can't believe you guys are here!" Ravenpaw cried. "Why did you come back? And where is here?"

"Back?" Bluestar echoed, confused. "What do you mean?"

The tom spun around and, purring some more, touched noses with her. "They were telling the truth! You are here! But how?"

"We're in the past, Ravenpaw," Dustpelt explained.

"Oh! And by the way, I'm Squirrelflight, and that's Leafpool," the ginger and white she-cat mentioned.

He purred even more, "Those are fantastic names! But what are we doing here?"

"Reading books," Firestar told him. The future cats quickly explained the whole thing to him, while the present cats just sat still, amazed at what was going on in front of them. They did turn their ears their way, though. Anything they could learn was good.

"That is believable," Ravenpaw said, nodding slowly. "And it seems like just the thing that Yellowfang would do, along with the rest of Starclan."

"That's what we thought," Graystripe purred, then added, sighing, "I wish Millie were here."

At this, Ravenpaw's ears shot straight up. "Oh! I didn't even think to ask! You and Millie made it safely back to Thunderclan?"

Ignoring the present cats confused glances, the gray tabby nodded. "Yes, and we're mates now. We have three kits, Bumblekit, Briarkit, and Blossomkit."

Ravenpaw purred in congratulations, then turned to the others. "And you?"

"Birchfall," Dustpelt told him. "My son. And Foxpaw and Icepaw, brother and sister."

"Hollypaw, Lionpaw, and Jaypaw," Squirrelflight said, beaming. "And their Brambleclaw's kits as well."

Ravenpaw's mouth dropped open, "You're mates? I wouldn't have believed that in a thousand seasons."

"We had trouble believing it," Firestar told him, chuckling.

He nodded, then questioned, "And did you and Sandstorm have any more?"

Sandstorm shook her head, "No." She paused, then added, "But you'll find this out in the readings, if we go that far. Blackstar, I believe you offered?"

The ShadowClan leader grunted, but nodded. Reaching out a paw, he grabbed the book from where it lay, abandoned. "Chapter 6," he began.

**There. I'm sorry about this not being a reading chapter, but I'm too lazy to do it right now. Also, I just feel like I need to get something out. Also, I'm going to be moving soon, so I'll be relying on the library computers. Bleh. Please review!**


	9. Chapter 6

**I am so sorry about not getting this out before now! I've been so busy. Moving, homework, sports, etc. Also... I am again asking for people to type up the chapters for me. If the chapters are typed I just have to add what the readers think, do, and say in response. If I don't get them I will do the story without but it will probably be months between each chapter. I am sorry.**

**Tiger's Claws - Thank you! Unfortunately, I think I am being lazy already. However, it makes me happy that you understand.**

**Dragoneisha - I'm sorry, but I won't be putting in Tigerclaw or Tigerstar. I already have so many characters and trying to get a bit of them in each chapter... it's hard not to forget. Also, I don't know how I would do him. He's just... I don't know... but I think I would ruin his character if I tried.**

**Wolf's Willow - I'm glad you're ok with regular chapters! Also, as far as I know, this is the only reading the books for Warriors. However, if you like Percy Jackson or Harry Potter, they have tons of good ones in different scenarios.**

**Pachimew - If I continue with New Prophecy, I will bring in Crowfeather and the rest of the main characters and take out others. If I continue into the Power of Three I will add the three and some others.**

**imlegitdemigod - Sorry, but I won't add Cloudtail. See my reply to Dragoneisha about it. Sorry!**

**.luna - You've read other Warriors stories where they read them? What are their names and authors?**

**Also, I realized I made a mistake in chapter 8. I wrote, "Blackstar, I believe you offered," instead of "Brokenstar, I believe you offered." Sorry! Now, enjoy the story!**

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><p>Brokenstar opened the book and began, "<strong>Early morning sunlight streamed down onto the forest floor as Firepaw roamed in search of prey. Two moons had passed since he had begun his training."<strong>

At these words, Firestar and Graystripe glanced at each other. They thought they knew what was coming next. How could they forget it? And they believed the event had happened about two moons into Firestar's stay in the forest.

Sandstorm, Ravenpaw, and Dustpelt frowned. They knew that their friends knew something, but what? The three cats began to wrack their brains for memories.

The rest of the future cats and all of the present cats frowned. What was the five cats thinking of?

**He felt at ease in this environment now. ...**

**Today he had been set his first solo task.**

Firestar groaned. Here was his confirmation. Graystripe twitched his ears in sympathy. Going through it once had to have been hard, but having to remember and share it with others? That was going to be tough.

The other three future cats who had been present frowned. Something had happened that day. Something important. But what?

Redtail frowned. His sensitive ears had picked up Firestar's groan. What was going on?

**He was determined to do well, even if his task was only to bring back fresh-kill for the Clan.**

**...**

**He remembered the words by Lionheart and Tigerclaw time and time again: "The Clan must be fed first."**

Suddenly, with those words, Sandstorm, Dustpelt, and Ravenpaw gasped in remembrance of what happened before glancing at Firestar sympathetically. Redtail and the other present cats frowned. The rest of the future cats frowned as well. What was going on?

**Dropping into a crouch, Firepaw began to stalk the little creature. ...**

**Suddenly there was a loud rustle in the ferns behind him. The water vole's ears twitched and it disappeared down a hole in the bank.**

"Sorry," Graystripe muttered to Firestar, who shook his head.

"It wasn't your fault. Besides, I forgave you ages ago. Like, when it first happened? And for something as silly as that... Besides, we laugh about it now, remember?"

**Firepaw felt the hackles rising along his spine. Whatever had ruined his first good chance of catching prey would have to pay.**

"You forgave him, huh?" Sandstorm mewed in her mate's ear, laughing softly. She had heard the story multiple times.

**He sniffed the air. He could tell it was a cat, but he realized with a jolt that he couldn't identify which Clan it belonged to - the stale stench of fox still confused his smell-sense.**

"Who is it?" Bluestar asked anxiously. She didn't want her clanmate getting hurt. Beside her, Redtail's ears twitched in anticipation. Across from them, the rest of the present cats hoped it wasn't a cat from their clan. None of them wanted to incur Bluestar's wrath when she was sitting only a foxtail away.

**A growl rose in his throat as he began doubling back in a wide circle. ... ****_From the noise it's making, it must be big_****, Firepaw thought, preparing himself for a fierce battle.**

"Hey!" Graystripe protested softly enough that only the rest of the future cats could hear him. "I wasn't that big!"

"You're right," Squirrelflight purred, "You were down right tiny compared to how big you are now!"

"And how would you know?" the old deputy challenged her.

"I can easily imagine it," she replied.

**He leaped for the trunk of an ash and climbed swiftly and silently up to an overhanging branch.**

**...**

**"Wa-ah! What'sat?" The body below him shot straight up in the air, carrying him with it.**

"I don't think that's a warrior," Redtail said slowly.

**"Uh! Graypaw?" Firepaw recognized the astonished voice and caught his friend's familiar smell, but he was too fired up to loosen his grip.**

At this, all the cats but Brokenstar and Blackfoot laughed as they realized what was happening.

**"Ambush! Murr-oww!" spat Graypaw, not realizing that the cat gripping onto his back was Firepaw. He rolled over and over in an attempt to dislodge his attacker.**

"That really hurt, you know!" Firestar mewed.

"Not as much as you clawing me, you crazy old cat!"

"And what does that make you? You are older, after all!"

The present cats stared at the two verbally play fighting friends while the rest of the future cats rolled their eyes. The arguing was a regular occurrence.

**"Uufff-ff!" Firepaw rolled with him, squash and flattened beneath the heavy body. **

**...**

**"You've ripped me to shreds!" - Graypaw**

"See!" Graystripe shot as his friend. "I told you you hurt me more!"

Firestar opened his mouth to retort, only to have Sandstorm slap her tail in his mouth and nod at Brokenstar. He was starting to look impatient from all the interruptions.

**"Sorry," Firepaw mumbled. **

**...**

**He managed to get in a couple of paw strikes before Graypaw overpowered him and held him down. Firepaw let his body go limp.**

"You just gave up?" Oakheart asked, frowning. That didn't sound like the cat they had been reading about. And if he became leader later...

**"You give up too easily!" mewed Graypaw, loosening his grip. As he did so, Firepaw sprang to his feet, firing Graypaw off his back and into the undergrowth.**

"Ah," the RiverClan deputy nodded. "Nice trick."

Firestar shrugged. "Not as much any more. We actually teach it in ThunderClan to our apprentices now, and the rest of the clans have learned not to fall for it for the most part."

**Firepaw leaped after him and pinned him to the ground.**

**...**

**"Anyway," Firepaw continued, "shouldn't you be heading to meet the patrol on the WindClan border? I thought you had to give them a message from Bluestar."**

"What are you doing by our border?" Tallstar growled at the ThunderClan leader.

"How would I know? It hasn't happened yet!" she replied.

"Shut up!" Brokenstar yowled angrily. He had finally cracked.

The rest of the cats fell quiet except for Brambleclaw who sang softly, "Someone's a little touched in the head."

Brokenstar growled, but eager to find out what happens, continued reading instead of attacking.

**"Yeah, but that's plenty of time. I was going to do a little hunting first. I'm starving!"**

**...**

**"I bet Dustpaw and Sandpaw used to swallow a shrew or two when they were on hunting duty," snorted Graypaw.**

"We did not!" said cats mewed, affronted.

"Sorry." Firestar mewed, licking his mate between her ears to calm her down. "We didn't know you that well back then."

**"I wouldn't be surprised if they did, but this is my first solo assignment..."**

**"And you want to do it right; I know." Graypaw sighed.**

At these words, Brambleclaw, Squirrelflight, and Leafpool's eyes widened as they realized what the elder cats knew. Now they understood what was going to happen.

**"What is the message from Bluestar, anyway?" Firepaw asked, changing the subject.**

**"She wants the patrol to wait at the Great Sycamore until she joins them at sunhigh. Seems that some ShadowClan cats have been prowling around. Bluestar wants to check things out."**

Crookedstar, Bluestar, and Tallstar narrowed their eyes at the ShadowClan leader. What was he up to?

**"You'd best get going then," Firepaw reminded him.**

**...**

**Silverpelt would be in the sky before he got a chance to eat.**

Firestar winced. It wasn't, but he only ate a little before he was forbidden to eat any till he caught more the next day.

**Graypaw stroked his whiskers. ...**

**The fox-stench was still in the air, but suddenly it smelled stronger.**

Bluestar stiffened. What was going to happen?

**Firepaw paused. "Can you smell that?" he asked.**

**...**

**He saw something red and thick-haired moving among the bushes. It stepped into a clearing in the undergrowth and Firepaw saw a low body, glinting red in the dappled sunlight. Its tail was heavily furred and it had a long, narrow snout.**

Sandstorm whimpered softly. While Firestar was strong enough to take on a fox, Firepaw wasn't, and she didn't want to think of what would happen if it attacked. Firestar noticed and whispered, "It didn't hurt me. I'm right here, remember? And don't you think you would have noticed if I was attacked by a fox?" Taking a deep breath, Sandstorm nodded as she calmed down.

**"So that's a fox?" Firepaw whispered.**

**...**

**"You'd stand a better chance these day, though. Anyway, Bluestar will probably send a warrior patrol to scare it off. Put the queens' minds at rest." - Graypaw**

"Yes, I will," Bluestar agreed, nodding, while still tense about the fox being so close to two ThunderClan apprentices.

**The fox had not noticed them, so the two apprentices continued along the stream.**

"Thank StarClan," Bluestar murmured.

**"So what does a badger look like?" Firepaw asked as they prowled along, sniffing to either side.**

**...**

**Suddenly a squirrel broke cover.**

**Firepaw burst into action. "After it!" he called, pelting at full stretch over the springy woodland floor with Graypaw at his heels.**

"You aren't going to catch it," Brambleclaw mewed, amused.

"Yeah, well, we were willing to try," Graystripe shot back.

"And you know that you would have done the same when you were an apprentice," Firestar added.

**They slid to a halt as the squirrel scampered upward into a birch.**

**"Lost it!" Graypaw growled in disappointment.**

"What did you expect?" Deadfoot asked, twitching an ear in amusement.

**Panting, the two cats stopped to catch their breath. ...**

**"The Thunderpath," Firepaw mewed. "I didn't realize we'd come so far."**

Sandstorm narrowed her eyes at her mate. He hadn't told of this part of that day. There had to be a reason.

Shifting nervously, Firestar glanced at Sandstorm. He hadn't told of how he had almost been injured.

**The two cats edged forward to peer out of the forest at the great, dark pat. ...**

**"Yuck!" Graypaw snorted. "Those monsters really stink!"**

'Just wait until you're in one,' Graystripe and Leafpool thought.

**Firepaw twitched his ears in agreement. ...**

**Firepaw took a step out of the cover of the forest. A border of oily grass lay between the trees and the Thunderpath. He crept slowly out onto it, and then shrank back as a stinking monster hurtled past.**

**"Hey! Where are you going?" Graypaw mewed.**

"Yes, Firestar," Sandstorm said. "Where are you going?"

Her mate chuckled nervously.

**Firepaw didn't reply. He waited till there were no monsters in sight. Then he edged forward again, across the grass, right to the edge of the path. Cautiously, he reached out a paw to touch it.**

"What are you doing?!" Sandstorm yowled. "Are you crazy?! You're only an apprentice! You know what could happen more than most!" Then, she blinked as she realized what she had said, and the rest of the cats from the future drew in breaths. "Firestar," she whispered to her mate, who was just sitting and staring at her. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean it. I'm just... what could have happened..." Drawing in a breath to say more and comfort Firestar, she was interrupted by him leaping up suddenly and dashing off into the forest. Immediately, she walked to the edge of the clearing after him before turning to look at the other cats, the present ones looking shocked. "I'll bring him back," she mewed softly. "Go ahead and keep reading." And with that, she tore after her mate.

There was silence for a moments before Bluestar asked, "What was that?"

"You'll find out in-" Graystripe began, only to be interrupted by Redtail.

"Don't you dare say that we'll find out in the books. What happened?"

Taking a deep breath, Dustpelt murmured, "Firestar has a bad experience with Thunderpaths. One of his apprentices was injured by a monster. He still hasn't gotten over it, and... well... we try not to mention it. Whenever we do, he just needs to go off alone."

"So why did Sandstorm go after him?" Crookedstar growled.

"Someone needs to watch him, especially in unfamiliar territory," Brambleclaw told him. "She'll wait for a while, and then she'll join him in companionable silence. Later, they'll come back and it will be as if it never happened."

"Well then, in that case," Brokenstar said heatedly, angry at being interrupted yet _again_, and began to read.

**It felt warm, almost sticky, heated by the sun. ...**** It was a ShadowClan warrior, and it was staring straight at him.**

At these words, Graystripe gasped softly. He hadn't remembered the warrior, the excitement later in the day drowned out most of the time at the Thunderpath. Now, though, he was sure who the ShadowClan warrior was. He would try and remember to discuss it with Firestar later.

Across the clearing, Blackfoot and Brokenstar's eyes narrowed. What was a ShadowClan warrior doing by the Thunderpath? Even they preferred not to go near the thing.

**"Firepaw!" Graypaw's voice made Firepaw jump, just as a huge monster, taller than a tree, roared past his noise. ...**

**"I just wondered what the Thunderpath felt like," Firepaw muttered.**

"Nasty, vile, oily, hard, stiff, need I go on?" Squirrelflight muttered to Brambleclaw, who sighed as he remembered their travels to see Midnight.

A foxtail away, Redtail frowned. How did the two warriors know what one felt like?

**His whiskers were trembling too.**

**"Come on," hissed Graypaw edgily. "Let's get out of here!"**

"Yes, leave," Bluestar muttered, on edge in worry.

**Firepaw followed Graypaw as he leaped away back into the forest. ..**

**"I think I saw a ShadowClan warrior," Firepaw mewed between licks. "In the forest on the other side of the Thunderpath."**

**"A ShadowClan warrior!" echoed Graypaw, his eyes wide. "Really?"**

**"I'm pretty sure."**

"How sure is pretty sure?" Blackfoot sneered.

"Absolutely, certainly sure," Graystripe growled back.

**"Well, it's a good thing that monster came past when it did," retorted Graypaw. "Where there's one ShadowClan warrior, there's more, and we're no match for them yet. We'd better get out of here." ...**

**Today he had seen his first ShadowClan warrior.**

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><p>There! All done! With this chapter, at least. I hope you enjoyed, and please review!<p> 


	10. Chapter 7

**Oh my goodness, I can't believe it has been so long since I last updated! I am sooo sorry. School and sports has kept me busy, and then finals, and ugh! Hopefully, I will get a lot of writing in this summer. Also, thank you to everyone who has continued following this story! I know it is really sporadic and long between updates. Thank you to everyone who reviewed as well.**

**Moonbeam141 - Thanks! I won't go in and fix it, as it is a small mistake and people (like you) know what it should be, but thank you for pointing it out!**

**DNAuthor - I might go that far. I don't know. I know I will finish Into the Wild eventually, and I'm going to try and finish the first six books, but I don't know. If I ever finish the whole series, it will be a long time from now.**

**I do not own Warriors.**

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><p>All the cats looked up as Firestar and Sandstorm entered the clearing.<p>

"Are you ok?" Graystripe asked softly, staring at his best friend anxiously.

"Fine," the future ThunderClan leader said. "I'm fine. Did you finish the chapter?"

Bluestar nodded, then said, "Who wants to read next?"

"I will," Squirrelflight offered.

Brokenstar, still grumbling about all the interruptions and how weak Firestar was to break down at a memory, snarled, "Come and get it," at the she-cat's expectant look.

Rolling his eyes, Deadfoot grabbed the book and slid it over to her. Nodding her thanks, Squirrelflight began.

**Firepaw retraced his steps and headed back toward the stream. ... ****Suddenly he caught a faint smell on the breeze.**

**A stranger! Perhaps that ShadowClan warrior.**

"Better not be," Bluestar growled.

**Instantly a growl rumbled in Firepaw's throat. ... She carried no distinct scent from any of the Clans, but Firepaw could tell she was tired, hungry, and sick, and she was in an ugly mood.**

"Probably a loner," Tallstar guessed.

**Dropping low, Firepaw moved forward, heading toward the scent. ...**

**Suddenly, with a lightning movement, a snarling ball of fur burst from the bushes behind him.**

All the cats, with the exception of Firestar who knew what was going to happen and Squirrelflight who was reading, gasped in shock.

**Firepaw screeched in shock as the she-cat slammed into him... If the other at were to sink its fangs too deep, it would all be over.**

"No!" Bluestar gasped, looking at Firestar worriedly and reminding herself he was right there. He obviously didn't die.

**He forced himself to go limp, relaxing his muscles as if in submission, and let out a pretend howl of alarm.**

Redtail and Oakheart both nodded in approval, then glared at each other.

**The she-cat opened her mouth to give a triumphant yowl. "Ah, a puny apprentice. Easy prey for Yellowfang," she hissed.**

At these words, every jaw from the past dropped open.

"Yellowfang?!" Brokenstar spat. "What is that old hag doing in ThunderClan territory?"

Firestar hissed at him angrily. "Yellowfang is not an old hag!"

"How would you know, kittypet?" Blackfoot questioned angrily, defending his leader.

"Because he knows Yellowfang better than any of ShadowClan does," Graystripe hissed.

Sandstorm yowled at her daughter to start reading again.

"Wait!" Squirrelflight demanded, "Not yet!" She was watching the arguing cats eagerly.

Rolling his eyes, her mate reached out a paw and snagged the book away, ignoring her angry caterwaul.

**At the insult, Firepaw felt a surge of fury. _..._****_Wait until you feel her teeth again._**

"Listen to this fight, don't encourage that one," Leafpool told her sister.

"Fine," Squirrelflight said grudgingly, while the two fighting ThunderClan cats turned away from the two ShadowClan cats.

**Yellowfang bit down. ...**

**"But you'll need to do a lot better!" - Yellowfang**

"I did," Firestar groaned. "Even malnourished, Yellowfang packs a bite."

**Firepaw blinked when he saw his opponent clearly for the first time. ... Her dark gray fur was long and matted into smelly clumps. Her ears were torn and ragged, and her muzzle was traced with the scars of many old battles.**

"What did you do to her?" Bluestar hissed angrily at Brokenstar.

"How am I supposed to know? This is in the future!" he yowled.

"And that," Dustpelt mewed cheerfully, "Is the smartest thing you've said all day!"

Brambleclaw read on quickly so that his friend wouldn't get maimed.

**Firepaw stood his ground. ...**

**"I will hunt. Then I will leave. Or maybe I'll just stay awhile..." - Yellowfang**

"Never," Bluestar spat. She would challenge Brokenstar about her health, but she wouldn't defend the old medicine cat when she was a threat to ThunderClan.

**"Enough talk," Firepaw spat ... He itching to fight, to defend his territory and protect his Clan.**

"Woohoo! Go Firepaw!" Graystripe yowled, grinning the best he could as a cat.

**Yellowfang seemed to sense the change in him. ... "No need to be hasty, now," she purred in a silky tone.**

"As if," Deadfoot snorted. He had spoken to her once, and great StarClan she had a sharp tongue!

**Firepaw wasn't fooled by her trickery. Claws extended and fur on end, he leaped forward, his war cry ringing out: "Grr-aaar!"**

"Oh, yes, the great war cry!" Graystripe laughed.

"Oh yeah? I'd like to have heard you do better back then!" Firestar challenged.

**With a hiss of rage the other cat responded. ...**

**Bared teeth closed on the air next to his ear.**

"Phew," Sandstorm sighed. She knew she hadn't seen any blood on her mate when he got back to camp, but he could have cleaned it. But then, his ear should have been torn as well.

**Instinctively Firepaw lashed out with a backswipe. His paw caught the side of Yellowfang's head. ...**** She shook her head to clear it.**

The cats were all quiet now, listening to the fight eagerly while most prayed to StarClan that Firepaw wouldn't get hurt.

**In the single heartbeat before the she-cat recovered, Firepaw saw his chance. He threw himself forward, crouching low, and clamped his jaws tight on Yellowfang's back leg. "Mur-ugh!" The taste of the matted fur was horrible, but he chomped down hard.**

'So that's why her leg was all mangled!' Ravenpaw thought.

**"Reow-ow-wow!" Yellowfang screamed in agongy and whipped around to snap at Firepaw's tail.**

All the cats held in a breath, waiting to see if the she-cat grabbed it.

**Her teeth connected and pain lanced up Firepaw's spine, but it only made him angrier.**

**... Up close, the message of desperation and weakness, and the aching void of the she-cat's hunger, was almost painful.**

'And this is where it starts,' Dustpelt thought, sighing and causing Redtail to glance at him curiously before going back to the book.

**Something stirred inside him, an unwarriorlike feeling he didn't want: pity. ... Then Tigerclaw's warning rang in his ears: "Or it might make him give in to kitty-pet weakness right at the moment of attack."**

'Don't listen to him!' Brambleclaw thought.

**Yellowfang lunged forward and Firepaw jerked instantly back into aggression. ...**

**Firepaw tasted earth on his tongue and spat out a mouthful of grit. "Pah!"**

"That was gross," Firestar muttered in Sandstorm's ear, causing her to laugh like he wanted her to. He didn't want his mate to be tense.

**He twisted nimbly to avoid Yellowfang's thrashing back legs ...**

**The she-cat was badly wounded, and her back legs could barely support her scrawny body.**

'Some ShadowClan cat,' Brokenstar thought, growling. No weak cat belonged in his clan!

**"Had enough yet?" Firepaw growled. ...**

**"Finish me off. I won't stop you." - Yellowfang**

Brambleclaw's eyes widened. He had known about this encounter, of course, but he hadn't known Yellowfang tried to pressure his mentor like Tigerstar did to him. To kill. The only difference was, Tigerstar wanted him to kill other cats.

**Firepaw hesitated. He'd never killed another cat before. Perhaps, in the heat of battle, he would, but a mercy killing, in cold blood? This was something very different.**

'Extremely different,' Bluestar and Redtail thought.

Redtail's eyes drifted over to Oakheart. That was what his death was, according to the book. Not in the heat of battle, or a mercy killing, but still in cold blood. Pinned down and unable to defend himself.

**"What are you waiting for?" Yellowfang taunted. "You're dithering like a kittypet!"**

"Because he is," Brokenstar growled, breaking the silence for the first time in a while.

**Firepaw smarted at the she-cat's words. Could she smell the scent of Twolegs on him, even now, after all this time?**

"She would have to have an impossibly good sense of smell," Ravenpaw mewed, shaking his head at Firepaw's idea.

**"I'm an apprentice warrior of ThunderClan!" he snapped.**

**Yellowfang narrowed her eyes. ... "Don't tell me ThunderClan is so desperate they have to recruit kittypets now?"**

"We're not desperate!" Bluestar and Redtail hissed.

"We just won't turn down any available help," the ThunderClan leader continued.

**"ThunderClan is not desperate!" hissed Firepaw.**

**"Prove it then! Act like a warrior and finish me off. You'll be doing me a favor."**

"But I wouldn't be acting like a warrior," Firestar pointed out, staring straight at Brokenstar and Blackfoot. "Killing is against the warrior code."

At his words, Blackfoot flinched while Brokenstar stared evenly back. The rest of the cats looked between the staring leaders, the ones from the past wondering what Firestar was hinting at.

**Firepaw stared at her. ... How had a Clan cat gotten in such a state? ThunderClan elders were looked after better than kits! "You seem in an awful hurry to die," he meowed.**

Tallstar narrowed his eyes. "You know, the apprentice is right," he mewed. "How did Yellowfang get in such a state?"

Nobody answered, just looked to Brambleclaw to continue reading.

**"Yeah? Well, that's my business, mousefodder," Yellowfang snapped.**

**... And since she could hardly hunt for herself, perhaps he should kill her now. The two cats looked at each other, uncertainty in both their gazes.**

The cats from the past looked at Firestar uncertainly. They didn't know him very well, and while he didn't seem like the kind of cat to kill… well, they had seen Yellowfang was in StarClan.

Sandstorm noticed their gazes and rolled her eyes. "Really?" she scoffed. "You think Firestar could kill in cold blood? Brambleclaw, keep reading so we can set these mousebrains straight."

**"Wait here," Firepaw ordered at last.**

"Where are you going?" all of the past cats chorused, and Firestar flicked his tail in amusement.

"Listen, and you'll find out."

**Yellowfang seemed to deflate. ... "Are you kidding, kitty? I'm going nowhere." She grunted, limping painfully toward a patch of soft heather. She flopped down and began licking her leg wound.**

"Except," Graystripe laughed, "to this nice patch of heather over here so I can rest in peace."

**Firepaw glanced briefly over his shoulder at her and hissed quietly in exasperation before heading for the trees.**

Redtail glanced at Firestar. The orange cat looked nervous about something. But what?

**As he padded silently through the ferns, sun-warned odors filled his nose, and he caught the sour reek of a long-dead rat. ... His first thought had been to go and dig up the thrush he had killed earlier, but that would take too long.**

'What?' was the question going through every cat's head who didn't know what he was doing.

**Maybe he should go and scoop the rat carcass.**

**...**

**Yellowfang looked up tiredly as Firepaw dropped the rabbit on the ground beside her.**

All the past cats' jaws dropped.

"What are you doing?" Bluestar demanded, but Brambleclaw continued.

**Her grizzled jaw dropped.**

**... "Look, if you don't want this..."**

"You're feeding her?!" Bluestar yowled, echoing everyone else's thought.

**"Ah - no," Yellowfang meowed hastily. "I do want it."**

"Of course she does, she's starving," Leafpool said softly. "What cat wouldn't want fresh rabbit?"

"A RiverClan cat who would prefer fresh fish instead," Squirrelflight joked, causing her mate to roll his eyes and keep reading.

**Firepaw watched the she-cat rip open the prey and start to swallow it down. ... He still had to take back enough prey for the Clan, but the fresh-kill smelled delicious.**

"Yes, you do," Bluestar growled. "The Clan comes first, and yet you've fed an enemy cat!"

"Call it compassion," Firestar shrugged.

**"Mmm-mm." ... She licked her muzzle clean and settled down to give herself a thorough wash.**

**_As if one wash is going to make much difference,_**** Firepaw thought, his nose twitching. She was the arch-cat of stench.**

Graystripe snorted. "I'll say. She still stunk, even after that wash."

"And you would know how?" Oakheart questioned.

"You'll see."

**He eyed the tattered remains of the prey. ... he gave in to his hunger and gulped down the scraps. It was delicious. He licked his lips, savoring every last taste, tingling from head to paw.**

"You see?" Brokenstar remarked. "Once a kittypet, always a kittypet. He cannot help but give in to his hunger and feed himself, even though the Clan comes first!"

"Oh, and you know all about that, do you?" Sandstorm snapped, baring her teeth in anger. Her ears laid back at the same time created a frightening image, and the ShadowClan leader inched away from her.

"Read on," he muttered.

"I'm sorry, what was that?" Brambleclaw asked innocently.

"I said, read on!" Brokenstar roared.

"Yeesh, someone didn't get their cat nap today," Squirrelflight joked, laughing.

Brambleclaw chuckled in agreement before reading.

**Yellowfang watched him closely, showing her stained teeth. "Better than the munch Twolegs feed some of our brothers, isn't it?" she mewed slyly. Knowing she had found his sore spot, she was trying to antagonize him.**

"Of course she is, she's a ShadowClan cat and Yellowfang," Deadfoot muttered.

**Firepaw ignored her and began to wash.**

**... "Shhh... warriors coming." - Yellowfang**

At this, Bluestar, who had been pointedly ignoring Firestar, looked up in interest. Were they from ThunderClan, or ShadowClan? Or even some RiverClan or WindClan cats who were brave - and stupid - enough to venture so far into ThunderClan territory?

**Firepaw was also aware of cats approaching. ... These were ThunderClan warriors, confident enough in their own territory not to care about the noise they made.**

Bluestar sighed in relief. Even though Firepaw had broken the warrior code, she knew he was still an apprentice. They made mistakes. Also, she had made an even bigger mistake when she was already a warrior! She couldn't hold it against him, least of all hope for him to run into some enemy clan warriors and get even more hurt than he did against Yellowfang.

**Firepaw licked his lips guiltily ... "The Clan must be fed first!" Lionheart's voice rang through his head once more. But surely he would understand why Firepaw had fed this wretched creature.**

"When there are Clan members waiting to be fed back at camp? Sorry," Redtail murmured.

Firestar shrugged. "I know that now. But back then? Unfortunately, no."

"Of course," Sandstorm laughed, "that didn't stop you and Graystripe from doing a bunch of crazy things once you were warriors and even now."

"Guilty as charged," Graystripe sighed.

**His mind reeled, suddenly fearful of what would happen to him. His first apprentice task, and he had ended up breaking the warrior code!**

"That's it," Brambleclaw spoke. "Squirrelflight, do you want to read the next chapter since you barely did any of this?"

"Sure," she nodded, taking the book from her mate.

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><p><strong>So, that's the end of this chapter! No surprises or anything, but hopefully it's still good. Please review!<strong>


	11. Chapter 8 and Cloudtail's Entrance

**Hi peeps! I'm really sorry I've taken a while! And I know I told some of you I would update a weeks ago, I am so sorry! My schedule got filled and I just didn't get around to it.**

**Featherpool16 - Thank you thank you thank you thank you! You reviewed every chapter! That makes me so happy!**

**Blueleaf - If I go past the original six books, then I'll add more characters.**

**Thank you to everyone who reviewed, favorited, and followed! I hope you enjoy the latest installment.**

* * *

><p>Squirrelflight looked down at the book, and was about to begin to read when a loud yowl interrupted her.<p>

"Heeelllpppp! It's the attack of the birds!"

A snowstorm bolted out of the woods and into the clearing, darting every which way. It wasn't until Firestar leapt on top of it and pinned the intruder to the ground that they realized it was a cat.

"Cloudtail?" Dustpelt gaped, "What are you doing here?"

"This is the cat you thought was me?" Blackfoot asked, frowning in disbelief. "How?"

Dustpelt shrugged, "You're both white. Or at least," he eyed Blackfoot's, well, black feet, "Mostly, and," now he looked at the blood in Cloudtail's fur, "Usually. What happened?"

"I told you!" the animated warrior leapt up as Firestar released him. "It's the attack of the birds!"

Firestar sighed, "That tells us nothing."

Cloudtail spun to face his old mentor, "I was out on border patrol when I spotted a nest. I climbed the tree it was in so I could look at the chicks, but then they turned out to be hawks, and mama hawk swooped in and she was really upset because she thought I was going to eat them! So she started attacking me, and I shook her off and headed for the patrol. And-" he caught site of Blackfoot.

"How did I get to the ShadowClan border? We were on the WindClan one!"

"What?" Tallstar mewed, confused. Since when did ThunderClan border WindClan? But he was ignored.

"You're in the past," Dustpelt mewed, obviously amused. "We're reading about Firestar's past with all the leaders and deputies from before he entered the forest."

"Huh? Oh, hey everyone! Hey Bluestar!" Cloudtail meowed cheerfully. "Have I entered the story yet?"

"No," Squirrelflight shook her head, "And you won't for a while. Yellowfang has only just entered the picture."

"Wow, we really are doing his past!" the white tom mewed. "Ok, I'm ready," he settled down.

Sqirrelflight started the chapter.

**Yellowfang growled in defiance at the approaching pawsteps.**

**... Firepaw recognized them: Tigerclaw, Darkstripe, Willowpelt, and Bluestar, all of them lean and hard-muscled.**

"Oh, you're in for it now," Redtail muttered.

"I'll say," Dustpelt sighed. "Tigerclaw and Darkstripe hated you, even then."

"Thanks for the reminder," Firestar said dryly. "As if this book isn't enough."

"Sorry," Dustpelt mewed, flicking his tail in sympathy.

**Firepaw smelled Yellowfang's fear scent at the sight of them.**

"Weakling," Brokenstar hissed.

"Like you're one to talk," Squirrelflight retorted before reading on, covering the sound of the ShadowClan leader's angry protests.

**Graypaw followed close behind. He bounded out of the bushes and stood behind the warrior patrol.**

"Hey look! It's the endless pit!" Cloudtail sniggered.

"I believe," Leafpool said softly, "That I must quote my sister on this. 'You're one to talk'."

Everyone laughed as Cloudtail gaped at her, and Brambleclaw had to calm his mate down so she could read after his own mewls of amusement had gone away.

**Firepaw mewed a hasty greeting to his Clan mates. ..****.**

"**Silence!" Tigerclaw growled.**

"The great Leader has spoken! You will obey!" Graystripe yowled, imitating Darkstripe's voice.

Everyone from the future howled in laughter, while those in the past looked on in puzzlement. Why did Tigerclaw keep getting mocked?

As Squirrelflight began to calm down again, she choked out, "Stop saying stuff like that! I can't read when you do!"

"Sorry," Graystripe laughed, "I'll try."

**Firepaw glanced at Yellowfang and groaned inwardly; he could still smell the fear-scent on her, but instead of cowering in submission, the scruffy creature was glaring in defiance.**

"Did you really expect a ShadowClan cat to cower?" Brokenstar hissed.

"I thought you said she was weak? Not that I'm agreeing with you," Firestar mewed, tail flicking from side to side.

"Let's rephrase the question," Bluestar said, "Did you really expect Yellowfang to cower?"

Firestar shrugged, "I didn't really know her, and I was kind of hoping she would so that we wouldn't get in as much trouble."

"**Firepaw?" Bluestar's question was cool measured. ... Her eyes burned into him, and Firepaw dropped his head.**

"Well, at least you did something right," Deadfoot mewed.

"**She was weak and hungry. . ." he began.**

"Or not," he sighed. "You tried to explain your actions so that they were right? Were you crazy?"

"Yes," Firestar admitted.

**"And what about you? ... ****I assume that you have a very good reason for breaking the warrior code?" - Bluestar**

"Didn't you just give one?" Oakheart asked.

"He gave an explanation for Yellowfang," Redtail corrected, "But not for himself."

**Firepaw was not fooled by his leader's soft tone.**

**... "Once a kittypet, always a kittypet!" - Tigerclaw**

"Oh yeah?" Squirrelflight yowled. "Well, once an evil maniac, always an evil maniac!"

The cats from the present blinked in surprise, while Dustpelt sighed and said, "Longtail."

Squirrelflight paused, and then mewed hastily, "Yeah, that's my point. Longtail changed, and so did Firestar and Cloudtail and Millie and-"

"Enough," Leafpool ordered softly, flicking her tail into her sister's open mouth, "You don't want to say to much. They must find out in the books or not at all."

"Right," Squirrelfight mewed after she spit out her sister's tail, "Sorry."

"Wait," Tallstar meowed, staring at Cloudtail, "You were a kittypet?"

He nodded, paused, shook his head, thought about it, opened his mouth, and was interrupted.

"You'll find out in the books," Sandstorm told WindClan's leader.

**Bluestar ignored Tigerclaw and looked instead at Yellowfang. Suddenly she looked surprised.**

"I hadn't realized who it was before?" Bluestar asked in surprise.

"No," Firestar shook his head. "But once you did it got a little better."

"A little?" Dustpelt mewed in amusement. "You were made-"

Sandstorm slapped her tail in his mouth. "Quiet!" she hissed. "Honestly, how often do we have to say it?"

"It's disgusting, isn't it?" Squirrelflight mewed in sympathy.

"Read, or your mother will kill you," Ravenpaw murmured in her ear, gesturing with his tail towards the angry warrior who looked ready to stalk over to her daughter. The bright orange she-cat took one glance at the paler cat and hurried on.

**"Well, well, Firepaw! ... ****What are you doing so far into ThunderClan territory?" - Bluestar**

"Wouldn't we all like to know?" Deadfoot said dryly.

**"I **_**was**_** the ShadowClan medicine cat. Now I choose to travel alone," hissed Yellowfang.**

"WHAT?!" All the past cats shouted.

"But why?" Redtail asked in shock.

"If you be quiet, you might find out," Brambleclaw pointed out.

**Firepaw listened, astounded. ... He might have enjoyed tackling her more if he'd known.**

"Although I wouldn't think that now," Firestar mewed.

"What do you mean?" Blackfoot asked curiously.

Firestar's shoulders shrugged, "Exactly that. Shadowclan isn't a good clan anymore, but they aren't bad either. There are still border skirmishes and sometimes they get more energy put into them than they should, but we can count on you for help if we really need it."

"That's impossible!" Tallstar cried.

"Not really..." Bluestar mewed slowly. "It sounds like when Raggedstar was still alive and leader."

There was a pause as all the old leaders and deputies considered this before Squirrelflight read on.

"**Yellowfang!" Tigerclaw meowed mockingly. " It looks like you have fallen on hard times if you can be beaten by an apprentice!"**

Bluestar's ears flicked in displeasure.

**Now Darkstripe spoke. "This old cat is no use to us. Let's kill her now. As for this **_**kittypet**_**, he has broken the warrior code by feeding an enemy warrior. He should be punished."**

"That is a bit overboard," Bluestar meowed. "And Firepaw will be punished, I'm sure." She glanced at Firestar.

He shrugged, "You'll have to read it in the book."

Bluestar hissed at Squirrelflight to read.

**"Keep your claws in, Darkstripe," Bluestar purred calmly. **"**... Can you walk?" she asked Yellowfang. "Or do you need help?"**

"She won't like that," Blackfoot purred. He kind of liked the old she-cat. She had a spark to her that he thought was admirable.

**"I've still got three good legs," the grizzled she-cat snapped back, limping forward.**

**... The other warriors took up positions on either side of Yellowfang, and the patrol moved off, carefully keeping pace with their lame prisoner.**

"You should punish her instead for deserting her clan," Brokenstar growled.

"Never," Firestar hissed back, his ears twisting back and teeth showing in a snarl.

The old ShadowClan leader pulled back a bit, surprised at the intensity with which the new ThunderClan leader responded.

Squirrelflight read on quickly at a nudge from Brambleclaw.

**Firepaw and Graypaw fell in step together at the back of the group.**

**"Have ****_you_**** heard of Yellowfang?" Firepaw hissed to Graypaw.**

"Yes," Graystripe mewed.

**"A bit. ..****."**

"**What's a loner?"**

"You didn't even know what a loner was?" Oakheart mewed in surprise.

"No," Firestar shook his head, "I didn't really know anything when I joined ThunderClan."

**Graypaw glanced at him. "... Tigerclaw says they are untrustworthy and selfish. They often live around Twoleg dwellings, but belong to no one and catch their own food."**

"And yet he used loners!" Cloudtail mewed in outrage. "That twisted snake!"

"Most of them weren't loners," Brambleclaw pointed out, "They were part of a clan, just not, you know, um..." he glanced at the past cats.

"Yeah," the white tom muttered.

Squirrelflight quickly continued, ignoring the confused looks from those who didn't know of BloodClan.

"**I might end up as a loner once Bluestar has finished with me," Firepaw mewed.**

"I would never do that!" Bluestar mewed, shocked.

"I know that now," Firestar told her, "But not then. I was still faced with some cats who didn't want me in ThunderClan, and I thought that that might be the last straw."

"F-" Sandstorm began, only to be interrupted immediately.

"I've told you, Sandstorm, I forgive you," he smiled reassuringly at his mate. She smiled back and they intertwined their tails together.

Squirrelflight pretended to gag to break the remaining tension up and got a paw cuffing her over the head for her efforts, though Dustpelt was smiling slightly.

"**Bluestar is very fair," Graypaw reassured him. "... I'm sure she's not going to make a fuss abut your feeding the poor old mange-bag."**

"Sorry, Yellowfang," Graystripe said sheepishly.

"**But they keep moaning about prey being scarce! Oh, why did I eat that rabbit?" Firepaw felt shame burn through his fur.**

"That was mouse-brained," Redtail sighed. "But that doesn't mean Bluestar will kick you out of the clan."

**"Well, yeah." Graypaw nudged his friend. "That ****_was_**** mouse-brained."**

"You think like Graypaw!" Dustpelt gasped in pretend horror. "Leafpool, tell me there's something you can do to help him!"

"Well," the medicine-cat mused quietly even as Graystripe cried out in protest while everyone else - besides Brokenstar - laughed, "it's probably a sickness, but I don't know what, so it's probably best to just let it run its course and hope Redtail gets better soon."

"What?" Dustpelt cried, "But what if he doesn't?"

"Then," Leafpool sighed, "we will have lost a wonderful cat to a deadly disease."

"Hey!" Graystripe protested while almost everyone else were sent even more over the edge. It took a few minutes, but Squirrelflight eventually calmed down enough to read on.

**"You really broke the warrior code there, but no cat is perfect!"**

**... This was not the way he had hope his first solo task would end.**

"It wasn't as bad as Squirrelflight's," Brambleclaw mewed with amusement in his voice.

"Hey! I didn't even have one," she pointed out.

"Exactly," her mate said, tail flicking.

The other cats laughed again, until Tallstar asked, "Why not?"

"Uh... it will be in the books if we get more." The bright orange she-cat quickly read on to avoid more questions.

**As the patrol passed the sentries who guarded the camp entrance, the rest of ThunderClan came running to welcome their warriors home.**

**... Word spread quickly through the Clan that this was ShadowClan's medicine cat, and a steady jeering hum rose around them.**

Bluestar and Firestar both frowned.

**Yellowfang seemed deaf to the taunts. Firepaw couldn't help admiring the way she limped with dignity through the corridor of stares and insults. He knew she was in a great deal of pain, and hungry in spite of that rabbit he had caught for her.**

"And I've admired her ever since," he sighed.

**When the patrol reached the Highrock, Bluestar nodded towards the dusty ground in front of it. ..****. He watched the crowd part to let Spottedleaf through.**

"She won't like that," Blackfoot meowed gruffly, "a medicine-cat coming to take care of her wounds when she's capable of doing it herself."

"No, she didn't," Firestar mewed with a grin.

**Yellowfang glared at Spottedleaf and hissed, " I know how to take care of my own wounds. I don't need your help."**

**Spottedleaf said nothing but nodded her head respectfully and stepped back.**

Sandstorm glanced at her mate and, leaning over, gave him a comforting lick on the head. He smiled softly at her, the wistful look in his eyes fading slightly.

**Some of the cats had been out hunting, and fresh-kill was brought for the returning warriors to eat. ..****.**

**He had broken the warrior code. He guessed that this meant he was forbidden his share in the fresh-kill.**

"You would be correct," Crookedstar mewed, then paused. "At least, in my clan."

"And in mine," Bluestar nodded.

**He paused beside the Highrock where Bluestar was sharing words with Tigerclaw. ... Desperate to know his fate, he strained his ears to hear what they were saying.**

Firestar's ear flicked in embarrassment as the other cats from the future turned to look at him.

"And you punish me when I eavesdrop," Squirrelflight said.

"I really wanted to know," her father began.

"So do I when I listen in!" She cried.

"Curiosity killed the cat," Leafpool murmured.

Oakheart wrinkled his nose, "Do we have to hear something morbid like that?"

The medicine-cat blinked, "It's true."

"Yes, but still," the RiverClan deputy started.

"Oh, leave her alone," Deadfoot growled, "It's a free forest, right? She can say what she wants."

"Well, actually, it's not really a free-" Ravenpaw began, thinking of the Warrior Code and how the clans fought over land.

"What do you mean?" Cloudtail demanded. "Of course it's-"

"He has a point," Brambleclaw began, thinking of how he and Squirrelflight weren't allowed to see each other because Firestar thought they would destroy the forest.

"Oh, hush!" Sandstorm snapped. "You can do whatever you want, it's just a matter of if you break a few rules while you're at it."

"Well put," Redtail mewed.

Firestar mewed, "I hope you don't break rules though; it only leads to trouble!"

"Oh yeah?" Squirrelflight demanded, "What about when Brambleclaw and I left with the others? We saved the clans!"

"Yes, but you were obeying StarClan," Dustpelt put in.

"While breaking Firestar's orders!" his old apprentice pointed out.

Several cats opened their mouths to retaliate, but they were interrupted by Leafpool, "Quiet!" she yowled. "Honestly, if I knew that saying one sentence would lead to a fight, I would have kept it to myself!"

"And cats say we aren't related," Squirrelflight sighed, causing Brambleclaw to snort.

"Because you would have interfered in a fight!"

"Well, no, but we both yell when we need to," his mate replied, and the tabby shrugged.

"True."

"And now, I'll read before any other fights start and you all ask questions," Squirrelflight mewed, directing the last part to the past cats with open muzzles.

**Tigerclaw's yowl sounded impatient. "... Now that she knows the camp, even the youngest ShadowClan kit will hear of it. We will have to move."**

Cloudtail snorted, "Because that turned out so well. I'm pretty sure everyone knew the locations of all the camps."

"Knew?" Tallstar questioned.

The white tom gulped, "Uh, um, probably in the books?" When the older cat didn't remove his gaze from Cloudtail, he cried, "Squirrelflight, read!"

**"Calm down, Tigerclaw," Bluestar purred. "Why should we move? Yellowfang says that she is traveling alone now. There is no reason for ShadowClan to hear of it."**

"Only if she is telling the truth," Brokenstar purred, eyes gleaming. If this was all an act to get into ThunderClan's camp...

"She is," Bluestar spoke calmly, though on the inside she was worried. What if he was right?

**"Do you really believe that? What on earth was that foolish kittypet thinking of?" Tigerclaw spat.**

"Hey!" Squirrelflight cried. "Don't talk like that!"

"Oh, no," Redtail groaned, "Tell me Firestar didn't say that!"

"I didn't," said tom spoke, "Squirrelflight was interrupting herself."

The she-cat flicked her tail sheepishly before reading.

**"But think for a moment, Tigerclaw," mewed Bluestar. "... but have you thought about how many ShadowClan secrets she might tell us?"**

"She wouldn't dare," Brokenstar growled.

**Firepaw could see by the way Tigerclaw's fur began to flatten that Bluestar's words made sense. The warrior nodded briefly, and then stalked off to take his share of the fresh-kill.**

"What? Tigerclaw stood down? What is this world coming to?" Cloudtail yowled, laughing with the other future cats while the past cats frowned. Again with the mocking Tigerclaw. What happened?

**Bluestar remained where she was. ... Then she stood up and began to walk towards Firepaw. His heart lurched. What was she going to say to him?**

"I don't think I'm walking towards you," Bluestar said slowly.

**But Bluestar walked straight past him. She did not even glance at him; her eyes were clouded with unknown distant thoughts.**

Oakheart looked over at the cat who carried his kits before looking away before she could meet his eyes.

**"Frostfur!" she called out as she approached the nursery.**

**...**

**"... And make sure all kits less than six moons stay inside the camp until our warriors have driven it away."**

"Wouldn't they do that anyway?" Brambleclaw wondered.

Bluestar flicked her ear in embarrassment and nodded, "Yes, I don't know what I was thinking."

"Of times gone by," Sandstorm suggested quietly, smiling in sympathy at her old wide-eyed leader.

**Frostfur nodded. ...**

**A plump wood pigeon had been left for Bluestar there. Firepaw looked on longingly as she carried it away to eat with the senior warriors.**

"Ah, to have the best fresh-kill saved for you," Firestar sighed, "The best part of being leader."

Tallstar and Crookedstar nodded, and Bluestar and Sandstorm snorted, "Toms."

**Finally his hunger drove him forward.**

"Oh no," Redtail groaned, "What are you doing?"

"Something extremely stupid," Firestar sighed.

**Graypaw was with Ravenpaw, wolfing down a small finch beside the tree stump. He saw Firepaw approach the pile and flicked his head encouragingly.**

Oakheart gaped, "You're encouraging him?"

"Yeah," the gray tom sighed, "I figured he might as well go for it."

Firestar turned his head and glared at his best friend, "Because that turned out so well."

"Sorry," Graystripe said sheepishly, and the orange tom shook his head but smiled so that Graystripe knew he was forgiven.

**Firepaw bent his neck, ready to take a small wood mouse in his teeth.**

**... "You didn't bring back any prey. The elders will eat your share. Take it to them." - Tigerclaw**

"Oh, now that's just cruel!" Squirrelflight protested.

"What?" Deadfoot asked her, confused.

"He's making him pick it up," she explained. "The aroma is going to fill his mouth."

"Oh," he nodded, while other cats looked at Firestar in sympathy.

**Firepaw looked over to Bluestar.**

**... He expected no thanks and was offered none.**

"Of course not, I broke the Warrior Code," Firestar shrugged.

**Now he was glad that he had gobbled up the remains of the rabbit he had caught for Yellowfang. ...**

**"Has Bluestar mentioned your punishment yet?" Graypaw asked.**

"Not yet," Crookedstar mewed, causing some cats to stifle sounds of laughter. He was talking to a book!

**"Not yet," Firepaw replied gloomily.**

Now they couldn't hold it back, and all but the ShadowClan cats and Crookedstar burst into laughter.

"Hey!" RiverClan's leader protested, but they didn't stop until Squirrelflight had calmed down and resumed reading.

**Graypaw narrowed his eyes sympathetically and said nothing.**

**... Ravenpaw and Firepaw followed Graypaw as he scampered over and nudged his way forward into a good position.**

"Apprentices," Tallstar sighed fondly, "They always have to be at the front."

"Unless it's at a Gathering," Deadfoot pointed out with amusement in his voice, "Then they hang out at the back so that they can goof off."

No one protested; they had all done so in their time.

**"I'm sure you have all heard about the prisoner we brought back with us today," Bluestar began.**

Sandstorm shrugged, "News travels fast, and she was lying in plain sight."

**"But there is something else you need to know." ...**

**"I may be old, but I'm not deaf yet!" Yellowfang spat in reply.**

"And she never was, although her hearing did go a little," Firestar sighed.

Squirrelflight then read on as she noticed some cats wanting to ask about the past tense.

**Bluestar ignored the prisoner's hostile tone and continued. " I'm afraid I have some very grave news. Today I traveled with a patrol into WindClan territory.**

Tallstar and Deadfoot's eyes narrowed.

**The air was filled with the scent of ShadowClan.**

"What?!" All the past cats -except for ShadowClan - cried.

"Why?" WindClan's leader demanded.

**Almost every tree had been sprayed by ShadowClan warriors.**

Deadfoot hissed in anger while his ears laid back and his tail lashed from side to side.

**And we met no WindClan cats even though we journeyed deep into their heartland."**

"Where did we go?" Tallstar asked, worry filling his voice.

The future cats all turned away; he would have to find out through the books.

**Her words were met with silence. Firepaw saw confusion in the faces of the Clan cats.**

"Why wouldn't there be?" Bluestar asked softly. "A clan has never disappeared before, let alone appear to be driven out."

At this, Firestar and Sandstorm coughed.

Heads whipped towards them, while those who knew sighed. "What do you mean?" Blackfoot inquired.

"We didn't say anything," Firestar mewed while trying to appear innocent.

"You didn't have to," Brokenstar growled, glaring. "Now tell us."

Sandstorm shook her head no, "Sorry, but you'll have to find out through the books."

With that, her daughter continued reading.

**"Do you mean ShadowClan has chased them out?" called Smallear hesitantly.**

"StarClan, no," Tallstar moaned.

"Wipe that smug look off your face," Cloudtail snarled at ShadowClan's leader. "You don't even know if you did."

"But I can guess," he replied.

**"We can't be sure," Bluestar meowed. "... There must have been a battle, though we found no bodies from either Clan."**

"That's a relief," Deadfoot sighed. "If we had been in a hurry after a battle, I don't know if we would have been able to carry our dead. And I know ShadowClan wouldn't do anything about them."

"No, your version wouldn't," Firestar agreed quietly.

"What do you mean?" Crookedstar questioned.

"Just that," the future leader of ThunderClan meowed, "yours wouldn't. But ours would."

"You're kidding," Oakheart mewed in shock.

"Nope," Squirrelflight denied before reading on.

**A shocked yowl rose from the crowd in a single voice. ... Never before had one Clan driven another from its hunting grounds.**

"That is true," Firestar admitted quietly; it had been four driving the fifth.

**"How can WindClan have been driven out?" One-eye croaked hoarsely. "... Why have they been chased out now?" She shook her head anxiously, her whiskers trembling.**

"That is a good question," Deadfoot growled.

**"I don't know the answers to any of your questions," meowed Bluestar. "... Their new leader, Brokenstar, gave no hint of any threat when we met him at the last Gathering."**

"Why would I?" said cat mewed in amusement. "That would take away the advantage of surprise!"

Deadfoot hissed and had to be blocked by Oakheart and Redtail from attacking Brokenstar while Squirrelflight quickly read on.

**"Perhaps Yellowfang has answers?" snarled Darkstripe. "After all, she is of ShadowClan!"**

"Not then, she wasn't," Firestar denied. "She had already separated herself from their midst."

**"I am no traitor! Nothing would make me share secrets of ShadowClan with a brute like you!" growled Yellowfang, glaring aggressively at Darkstripe. The ThunderClan warrior moved forward, ears flat, eyes closed to slits, ready for a fight.**

"Go Yellowfang!" Graystripe mewed, eyes gleaming.

The past cats looked at him in shock.

**"Stop!" yowled Bluestar.**

"And you better obey," Bluestar commented.

**Darkstripe immediately halted in his tracks ...**

**"... ThunderClan must prepare itself. ..." - Bluestar**

**The cats below her nodded in agreement.**

"Good; we never know when ShadowClan may attack us," Bluestar mewed softly. She was worried for her clan, not as much as Tallstar was, but worried.

**Bluestar continued. "Our need for warriors is our greatest obstacle. We shall get around this by speeding up the training of our apprentices. They need to be ready even sooner to fight for our Clan."**

Dustpelt frowned. This was too close to what Brokenstar had been doing for comfort, even if ThunderClan wasn't turning kits into apprentices and then warriors too soon.

Redtail stared at his future apprentice in puzzlement. What was he upset about?

**Firepaw saw Dustpaw and Sandpaw exchange a thrilled glance. ... Ravenpaw's wide eyes showed worry rather than excitement.**

Bluestar frowned; why was he worried?

**Bluestar went on. "One young apprentice has been sharing mentors with Graypaw and Ravenpaw. By teaching him, I shall speed up the training of all three apprentices."**

All the past cats gaped; was she saying what they thought she was?

**She paused and looked down at her Clan. "I shall take on Firepaw as my own apprentice."**

She was! Bluestar stared at the fiery tom, "You were my apprentice."

"Yes," he admitted, before turning to his daughter. That was all he was going to say on the subject. They had become close, and seeing Bluestar become the wraith-like creature that had no faith was heartbreaking, even more so because he hadn't done enough to stop Tigerclaw in the first place. His only saving grace was that him being in peril had broken her out of that state in the end, even if it was only for her to die.

**Firepaw opened his eyes in amazement. ..****.**

**"What an honor! It's been ****_moons_**** since Bluestar had an apprentice. Usually she trains only the kits of deputies!" - Graypaw**

"Which I don't get," Firestar admitted. "Why didn't you train others?"

"Oh, like you can talk," Brambleclaw snorted. "Your only apprentices are me, Cloudtail, and Cinderpelt, and we were all before you became leader!"

"I'm pretty busy with all my duties as leader!" Firestar protested, then flicked his tail in embarrassment as he realized he just answered his question. "Oh."

"Yeah," Bluestar mewed in amusement.

**Then a familiar voice rose from the front of the crowd. It was Tigerclaw. "So Firepaw is to be rewarded, not punished, for feeding an enemy warrior when he should have been feeding his own Clan?"**

"I was already punished!" Firestar cried.

**"Firepaw is my apprentice now. I will deal with him," answered Bluestar. ... "Yellowfang will be allowed to stay here until she has recovered her strength."**

"And beyond," Dustpelt muttered under his breath while hiding a grin.

**"We are warriors, not savages. She is to be treated with respect and courtesy."**

"How many times does that get us in trouble again?" Sandstorm sighed. "Honestly, ThunderClan takes in too many cats that turn out to be trouble."

"And yet plenty turn into allies that help us gain strength," her mate pointed out.

"I know," she shrugged. "But I just think about the ones who caused problems and-"

"I know," he nuzzled her, "I feel the same sometimes."

**"But the Clan cannot support Yellowfang," Darkstripe protested. "We have too many mouths to feed already."**

**"Yeah!" Graypaw whispered into Firepaw's ear. "And some of them are bigger than others!"**

No one but Brokenstar could hold back a laugh at that one, especially after Squirrelflight added innocently, "Oh, you mean yours?"

**"I don't need anyone to care for me!" spat Yellowfang. "And I'll split open anyone who tries!"**

"That, I do not doubt," Blackfoot mewed, still amused at the last comment. ThunderClan actually wasn't that bad when you got to know them.

**"Friendly, isn't she?" Graypaw murmured.**

Everyone - with the exception of Brokenstar - laughed again.

**Firepaw flicked the tip of his tail in silent agreement. There were muffled meows from the other warriors as they grudgingly recognized the enemy warrior's fighting spirit.**

"A fighting spirit is something that is always recognized," Crookedstar noted, "And for good reason. It helps us survive, so the stronger it is the bigger the chance at a long life."

**Bluestar ignored the murmuring.**

"Why shouldn't I?" said she-cat mewed.

**"We shall kill two prey with one blow, as it were. ... You will fetch fresh bedding and clear away her dirt."**

"Oh, yuck!" Squirrelflight mewed, making a face. No wonder her father always made her do it as punishment when she was an apprentice; he knew exactly how awful it was!

**"Yes, Bluestar," mewed Firepaw, his head bowed in submission. _..._**

**"Good idea!" hissed Dustpaw. "Firepaw had better be good at cracking fleas!"**

Redtail frowned while Dustpelt winced.

**"And hunting!" added Sandpaw. "That sack of old bones is going to need feeding up!"**

Sandstorm's head dropped in shame.

"Hey," her mate whispered to her, "Chin up. I forgive you, remember? Otherwise we wouldn't have two beautiful daughters sitting next to us."

She smiled faintly at him.

**"Enough!" Bluestar interrupted them. "I hope Firepaw will find no shame in caring for Yellowfang. She is a healer, and she is his elder. For those reasons alone he should respect her!" She shot a sharp glance at Sandpaw and Dustpaw. "And there is no humiliation in caring for another cat when it is unable to take care of itself. ..." With that, she jumped down from the Highrock and marched toward her den.**

"Well said," Tallstar mewed approvingly, speaking for the first time since he found out WindClan had been driven from their home.

**Lionheart followed her. ... One or two congratulated Firepaw on being chosen as Bluestar's apprentice; others mockingly wished him good luck looking after Yellowfang. Firepaw felt so dazed by Bluestar's announcement that he just nodded blankly.**

"It was really funny," Graystripe snorted. "You just kept sitting there, nodding at anything anyone said. I decided to do a check and told you you were a squirrel, you just nodded your head yes!"

Everyone but Brokenstar and Firestar broke out laughing while Firestar flicked his ear in embarrassment.

**Longtail padded up to him. ... "Like I said, outsiders ****_always_**** bring trouble."**

"Sometimes," Firestar agreed, "But not always. Some of them can be a lot of help."

"Like you," Sandstorm mewed, smiling.

"Like me," he admitted modestly.

* * *

><p><strong>So, once again, I'm really sorry I took so long! Well, not as long as other times, but longer than I said it would be to some people.<strong>

**Also, everyone thank Blue1272! They're going to be typing up the next chapters by Erin Hunter and PMing them to me so that all I need to is add comments. There will still be a wait because they need to type it up and the comments aren't as easy as they might seem, plus school started a month ago, but it will be less of one!**

**Please review!**


	12. Chapter 9

**First off, thank you to everyone who reviewed!**

**Second, thank you to those who pointed out that Cloudtail wasn't in the story. If you go back to the last chapter, you will see that at the beginning I have his entrance. I was going to change his lines to someone else saying them, but then I realized that for my favorites only Cloudtail could say them and I didn't want to take them out, so in he went!**

**Third, for the rest of this book I will not be adding any more characters. The ones that are reading the books already are hard enough to keep track of and give lines.**

**Fourth, thank you to Blue1272! You gave me Erin Hunter's chapter so soon after I published the last chapter, and I am so sorry it has taken me so long. School and sports took more time than I thought they would.**

**Fifth, I am so sorry for taking so long. School and sports have been taking all my time, and if any of you have read What A Genius Knows (Avengers fic) then you know that I lost connectivity for a while.**

**Sixth, I recently posted a new story that is a one-shot crossover of the Hobbit and the Hardy Boys. Please check it out and tell me what you think!**

**Seventh, Merry Christmas!**

**Eighth, I do not own Warriors. Everything in bold is taken from her book Into the Wild (with the exception of this AN).  
><strong>

* * *

><p>There was silence for a few seconds, then Squirrelflight mewed, "That's it. Who's reading next?"<p>

"I will," Redtail offered. The she-cat nodded and passed the book to him. The old ThunderClan deputy took a deep breath, then began to read.

**"I'd go and see to Yellowfang, if I were you," whispered Graypaw, as Longtail strode away. "She doesn't look very happy."**

"Very happy?" Firestar barked out a laugh. "She was positively frightful! Always glaring at everybody." A fond smile appeared on his face and he sighed in remembrance.

Redtail studied the other tom, then decided that it was alright if he kept reading.

**Firepaw glanced over at the old she-cat. ... Graypaw was right; she was glaring at him.**

"See what I mean?" Firestar mewed in amusement.

**"Well here goes," he mewed. "Wish me luck!"**

**"... If she looks like she's going to have you, I'll sneak up behind her and whack her on the head with a stiff rabbit." - Graypaw**

Squirrelflight burst out laughing. "Did you really say that?" she barely managed to gasp out.

Graystripe shrugged, "I don't really remember, but I must have if it's in here."

**Firepaw purred with amusement and trotted off toward Yellowfang. ...**** "Stop right there, _kittypet_!" - Yellowfang**

"She knew?" Tallstar asked in surprise. "I mean, she called you that before, but-"

He was interrupted by Redtail, who saw that the answer was in a few lines.

**Firepaw sighed. ...**

**"You _are_ a kittypet, though, aren't you," Yellowfang wheezed.**

"Yes, a dirty, stinking, mouse-br-" Brokenstar was interrupted by a yowl, blazing eyes, and a ferocious she-cat bowling him over. He hissed and spat in response, twisting and turning, trying to get his hind legs under him so he could fling her off while at the same time swatting with his front legs, claws unsheathed. Then there was a searing pain in his shoulder as claws ripped through it. The sound of teeth catching and pulling at his ear. And then, just as soon as the weight was there, it was gone.

Brokenstar heaved in a breath, shaking his head to try and clear the pain even as he rolled over and onto his feet. Once he was standing he blinked blood out of his eyes so that he could see. In front of him was Crookedstar, Oakheart, and Blackfoot, the three toms barring the way for Sandstorm who was being soothed by Firestar.

"Can you heal him?" Blackfoot asked Leafpool, but the she-cat shook her head.

"I could, but I won't. Not after all he's said." She didn't glare at Brokenstar, but she might as well have.

Then Tallstar mewed, "Perhaps it would be better to continue reading. Sandstorm, are you ready?"

Firestar's mate took a deep breath, then nodded and settled back into her spot.

Redtail began again.

**_"She's tired too_, Firepaw thought. ... ****"I used to live with twolegs when I was a kitten," Firepaw replied calmly.**

Brokenstar hissed softly, but knew better than to speak.

**"Your mother a kittypet? Your father a kittypet?"**

**...**

**"Kittypet blood isn't the same as warrior blood. Why don't you run home to your twolegs now instead of looking after me? Its humiliating, being fussed over by a lowborn cat like _you_!" - Yellofang**

Firestar flinched, but shook his head at Sandstorm's worried look, "I forgot she said that, is all. I wasn't ready to hear it."

She studied him, then nodded, though she whispered, "She would never say that now," and moved, if possible, even closer to him.

**Firepaw's patience ran out. ... "Its the fact that you need to rely on _any_ cat that you find so humiliating!"**

"That," Deadfoot noted, "Is very insightful."

**Yellowfang stared at him, her orange eyes very wide.**

"You surprised her," Blackfoot said, surprise clear in his voice.

"He's talented that way," Cloudtail said with a laugh.

**Firepaw carried on fiercely: "Your just going to have to get used to being cared for until you are well enough to do it yourself, you spiteful old bone bag!"**

"You said that and _lived_?" Graystripe mewed in amazement.

"Like Cloudtail said," Firestar said with a grin, "I'm talented."

**He stopped as Yellowfang began to make a low, harsh, wheezing sound.**

"Is she ok?" Leafpool asked, worried. She had never known the elder medicine cat, but she felt like she knew her with all the stories her parents had told.

**Alarmed, Firepaw took a step toward her. ...**

**"Look, I didn't mean..." he began, before he suddenly realized she was _laughing_!**

"Oh," Leafpool mewed in embarrassment."

**"Mr-ow-ow-ow," she mewled, a purr rumbling up from deep inside her chest.**

**...**

**Stunned by her change of mood, Firepaw turned quickly and sprinted toward Spottedleaf's den.**

Firestar shook his head ruefully, "The amount of times she was mad, then happy... Her mood just kept changing!"

**He had never been in this part of the camp before. ...**

**Firepaw shyly mewed a greeting, **

"You liked her?" Redtail interrupted himself to ask.

"What?" Firestar asked, surprised by the sudden question. Then he sighed, and said, "Yes. I think she knew, but we were never anything other than friends. A good thing to," he added, "I would have never become Sandstorm's mate," he smiled softly at her, then turned somber, "I've also seen cats who fall in love outside the boundaries, and the outcome isn't a good one. It always ends in sadness, even if something good is gained at the same time."

The cats from the past made sounds of incredulity while those from the future avoided looking at Graystripe, Leafpool, Bluestar, Oakheart, and Brokenstar.

"What do you mean?" Tallstar demanded.

Firestar sighed, "Cats falling in love with cats from other clans or medicine cats... it doesn't end well. Though clan cats and those outside the clans are surprisingly ok."

Tallstar opened his mouth to demand more, but Firestar shook his head, "You'll find out at least three examples later, if not more."

At these words, Bluestar and Oakheart, who had relaxed as the future ThunderClan leader refused to answer, tensed. They had a feeling that they were one of those couples.

"Please read, Redtail," Dustpelt said, eager for the tension to disperse.

His first mentor nodded and continued.

**and reeled off Yellowfang's list of herbs and seeds.**

**"... ****Wait here." - Spottedleaf**

"Where would he go?" Squirrelflight asked, amused. "Back to a cat only too eager to bite his head off?"

**"Thanks," Firepaw mewed as the medicine cat disappeared back into her den.**

**... "Tell Yellowfang to go easy on the poppy seeds. I don't want her to deaden the pain entirely. A little pain can be useful, as it will help me judge how well she is healing."**

Leafpool nodded approvingly.

**Firepaw nodded and picked up the herbs with his teeth.**

**... He turned his head and looked at Tigerclaw curiously. The warrior narrowed his eyes and looked away.**

Redtail and Bluestar both frowned and looked at each other, confused. What was Tigerclaw up to?

**Firepaw dropped the bundle beside Yellowfang.**

**"Good," she mewed. "Now, before you leave me in peace, find me something to eat. I'm starving!"**

"Never has there been someone so demanding," Graystripe sighed wistfully.

"I miss her too," Firestar mewed with a sad twitch of his tail.

The other cats looked at them for a few moments before Redtail continued reading, though wondering how the medicine cat had died.

**(Line break)**

**The sun had risen three times since Yellowfang had entered the camp. ... "Wake up," Firepaw mewed, "Or you'll be late for training."**

"And you don't want to do that," Dustpelt mewed, eager to disperse the remaining tension. "Didn't Lionheart crawl into the den once and drag you out by the tail?"

"Yes," Sandstorm added, a wicked grin on her face at the chance to tease her friends, "I believe he used his teeth to do it too. And of course little Dustpaw wouldn't want that happening again."

"Why not?" Squirrelflight asked, eager to know what had happened to her mentor.

"It's not important," Dustpelt interrupted Sandstorm as she went to answer her kit.

"Of course it is," Blackfoot scoffed, trying not to show how interested he was, "Or you wouldn't be stopping her."

Sandstorm grinned even wider as she took in the wide-eyes of her audience, all leaning forward to find out what had occurred. Even Graystripe, who had been there, was losing patience! And then there was Dustpelt, desperately shaking his head no, and Brokenstar sniffing and inspecting his paw - but she could see how his ears were tilted towards her.

"Tiny Dustpaw was still sleeping, you see," she began, "He felt like he had earned some more sleep-eye after his hard day of work the day before. But Redtail," everyone glanced briefly at the rust-colored cat, "disagreed. So when he saw Lionheart stalking towards the den, he told him to wake up his apprentice too. And I know that for a fact too, I had gone on morning patrol and was having a snack right outside after. So Lionheart crouched down so that he could fit through the entryway, and purposefully stepped on Dustpaw on his way to Graypaw! Now Dustpaw must have been tense or something, because I'm suuuure he wouldn't do anything like this normally, but he jumped straight up and into the brambles above him, yowling all the way!" She broke off laughing for a moment, then continued, "poor Lionheart had to pass beneath him to get out, while dragging Graypaw out by the tail! It eventually took three warriors, all squeezed into the apprentice den, to get him down his fur was so caught in the brambles!"

Sandstorm ended her story and started laughing again, joining the other cats who had started long before - with, of course, the exception of Brokenstar who was still pretending to ignore them and Dustpelt and Graystripe who had covered their eyes with their paws while crouching down in embarrassment.

It took a while, but Redtail eventually started reading again.

**Graypaw lifted his head sleepily and growled in reluctant agreement. ...**

**The black cat opened his eyes immediately and leaped to his feet. "What is it?" he mewed, looking around wildly.**

Ravenpaw sighed and shook his head, "Was I really that jumpy?"

"Yes," Graystripe said, lowering his paws and straightening up, "But it was understandable. You were already a jumpy cat by nature, and after what happened..."

Ravenpaw nodded, though a sad look was on his face.

"What happened?" Oakheart asked, frowning. It didn't have anything to do with Redtail's death, did it?

**"Calm down, Ravenpaw. It's time for training soon," Firepaw soothed.**

"Thanks," Ravenpaw mewed softly, "You really took care of me."

"Any time, and you certainly repaid me enough," Firestar responded.

**Dustpaw and Sandpaw began to stir too ...**** Greenleaf was drawing to a close, and soon it would start to feel colder.**

Leafpool shivered at the thought. Leaf-fall would soon lead into Leafbare, and that time was often the busiest for a medicine cat because so many cats were getting sick.

**He lay down and rolled in the earth beside the tree stump ..****. Her nest lay tucked against its mossy trunk, out of hearing of the elders, but in full view of the warriors' den on the other side of the clearing.**

Bluestar nodded in approval. Any sign of trouble and the warriors would be able to act. Yellowfang wouldn't be able to hear any gossip from the elders either.

**Firepaw could just see a mound of pale gray fur ...**** Ravenpaw appeared last, with a nervous glance around the clearing before he emerged fully into the open.**

Oakheart frowned. The apprentice really was nervous.

**"Another day looking after that mangy old fleabag, eh, Firepaw?" mewed Dustpaw. "I bet you wish you were out training with us."**

"Maybe," Bluestar hissed with a frown at Dustpelt, "But that doesn't give you the right to insult your elder."

"Sorry," Dustpelt flicked his tail in embarrassment, "that wasn't really a good time for me."

**Firepaw sat up and shook the dust from his fur. ...**

**"Perhaps she thinks a kittypet is better off staying in camp, tending to the sick," mewed Sandpaw rudely, tossing her sleek ginger head and throwing him a scornful look.**

Sandstorm winced, but whispered to her mate, "I know. You forgive me."

**Firepaw decided to ignore her barbed comments. ...**

**"... Tigerclaw must have something planned for you." - Firepaw**

**Ravenpaw sighed and nodded, then followed Graypaw and Firepaw as they trotted out of camp. Even though his injury was completely healed, he still seemed to have little enthusiasm for training.**

Oakheart frowned in thought. Surely it wasn't Tigerclaw that Ravenpaw was afraid of?

**(line break)**

**"Here," mewed Firepaw. He dropped a large mouse and chaffinch on the ground beside Yellowfang.**

"Oh, yum," Cloudtail and Graystripe mewed in unison.

**"About time," she growled. ... But the smell of fresh-kill must of woken her, for now she had pulled herself into a sitting position.**

"It would wake up anyone," Graystripe meowed, sighing dreamly. Breakfast in bed...

**She dropped her head and hungrily gulped down Firepaw's offerings. ... Her wound was healing well, but her temper remained as fierce and unpredictable as ever.**

"I don't think that ever diminished," Leafpool commented, remembering the times she had met the old medicine cat.

**She finished her meal and complained ...**

**As he cracked the plump fleas between his teeth, he noticed a gang of small kits tumbling around in the dusty earth nearby. ... To his surprise, Firepaw felt her spine stiffen beneath his teeth.**

Nobody but Firestar noticed Brokenstar stiffen at those words.

**He listened for a moment to the tiny yelps and squeaks of the kits.**

**"Feel my teeth, Brokenstar!" mewed one small tabby. **

Brokenstar hissed.

Sandstorm rolled her eyes, "Oh, relax, they're only playing." She stiffened then in thought. Those were the kits that Brokenstar had taken... Oh, StarClan, the clearing was going to erupt when they found out what the ShadowClan leader was doing.

**He leaped on the back of a little gray and white kit, who was pretending to be the ShadowClan leader. ... With a startled squeak, the little tabby cannoned into Yellowfang's side.**

Firestar flinched in remembrance of what had happened, though he now knew why she had reacted like she had.

**Instantly the old she-cat leaped to her feet, fur on end, spitting violently. "Stay away from me, you scrap of fur!" she hissed.**

Bluestar's mouth dropped open, then she hissed in fury. She had let that mousebrain stay in her camp, under her protection and being fed and taken care of by her apprentice?!

**The tabby kit took one look at the furious cat, turned tail, and ran.**

**...**

**"Don't you like kits?" Firepaw asked, curious in spite of himself. "Did you never have kits of your own?"**

"She's a medicine cat," Tallstar shook his head. "She can't have kits."

Can, Leafpool thought, just not allowed to. And that often leads to trouble.

**"Don't you know medicine cats don't have kits?" hissed Yellowfang furiously.**

**"But I heard you were a warrior before that," Firepaw ventured.**

Tallstar blinked, considered, and nodded. That was true, so he guessed she could have kits.

**"I have no kits!" Yellowfang spat. **

Brokenstar spat, and the cats from the past looked at him in surprise. Those from the future narrowed their eyes.

**She snatched her tail away from him and sat up. "Anyway"- her voice suddenly lowered, and she sounded almost wistful- "accidents seem to happen to kits when I'm around them."**

"Only because of him," Firestar hissed, his tail flicking back and forth.

"Er... who?" Crookedstar questioned.

Firestar just shook his head.

**Her orange eyes clouded with emotion. ...**

**"... Ask Spottedleaf for a little mouse bile to rub on them. A splash of that in their breathing holes and they'll soon loosen their grip." - Yellowfang**

"Yeah, Firestar," Squirrelflight mewed in amusement, obviously remembering all the times she had had to use the foul stuff and relishing in the fact that her father had to as well.

**"I'll get some now!" Firepaw offered.**

**... The queens were weaving twigs and leaves into the dense green wall around the sides of the nursery, making sure the narrow entrance was the only way in and out of the bramble patch.**

Sandstorm flinched. That hadn't helped in the end.

Oakheart looked at her, curiousity shining in his eyes. Why did she do that whenever kits were mentioned? She didn't seem to have a problem with them considering she had two of her own, but there was something there that he didn't understand...

**Other cats were working at the edges of the camp, filling in any spaces in the thick undergrowth.**

****... They would not let themselves be driven from their hunting grounds as easily as WindClan had been.****

"We didn't have a choice," Deadfoot growled.

"We knew that," Dustpelt told him. "But you didn't have warning before hand. We were just preparing to make it harder on ShadowClan. StarClan knows we didn't want them to have too easy of a job."

Deadfoot looked at him, then nodded.

**Darkstripe, Longtail, Willowpelt, and Dustpaw were waiting silently at the camp entrance. ... Then they slipped quickly out of camp. ThunderClan's borders were not being left unguarded for a moment.**

All the cats who had been part of it winced and shook their paws out, still able to feel ghosts of their paws pounding on the hard dirt, not pausing for a moment. As apprentices they hadn't been used to that, though as they grew older their pads grew harder. Though, they thought ruefully, it didn't help all the time.

**Firepaw headed down the fern tunnel that led to Spottedleaf's den. ...**

**"Right," she mewed at last. "What was it you wanted? Mouse bile?"**

"I don't think he _wanted_ it," Graystripe mewed in amusement, "But _needed_ it, yes."

He quickly ducked a swung paw from Firestar.

**"Yes, please." ...**

**"The moss is soaked in bile," Spottedleaf explained. "Don't get any in your mouth, or you'll have a foul taste for days. Press it on the ticks and then wash your paws-in a stream, not with your tongue!"**

"For days is right," Squirrelflight grumbled. "Of all the idiotic things to do when you're tired and looking for a faster way to get something done. I should have just walked the extra ten minutes to a river."

**Firepaw nodded and trotted back to Yellowfang, feeling suddenly cheerful and tingling with energy.**

**... "Then you can go and do whatever it is you apprentices do," Yellowfang murmured.**

"I do believe that that was almost friendly," Sandstorm mewed cheerfully.

**When he had cleared away Yellowfang's dirt, he left her dozing and made his way to the gorse tunnel. ..****. "... Well, don't come back without fresh-kill. We need as much as we can find." - Halftail**

"Don't we always," Graystripe sighed.

"With your stomach, yes!" Cloudtail said.

"Like you're one to talk," Graystripe meowed in retort.

**"Yes Halftail," Firepaw replied.**

**... Without hesitating he jumped down into the cold, clear water. It came up to his haunches, and wet his belly fur. The shock made him gasp and he shivered.**

Firestar shivered, remembering that that wasn't the worst experience he had with water. If he could avoid the element for the rest of his life that would be great, but that wasn't possible.

**A rustle in the bushes above him made him look up, although the familiar scent that reached his nose told him there was nothing to be alarmed about.**

**"What are you doing in there?" Graypaw and Ravenpaw were standing looking at him as if he were mad.**

"I was," Firestar groused.

**"Mouse bile." Firepaw grimaced. "Don't ask! Where are Lionheart and Tigerclaw?"**

"They didn't have to," Sandstorm mewed in amusement. "The amount of times Graystripe was ordered to get rid of the elder's ticks..."

"Don't remind me," Graystripe grumbled.

**"They've gone to join the next patrol," answered Graypaw. ...**

**Ravenpaw's gaze flicking from side to side as if he expected an enemy patrol to leap out of the bushes at any time.**

"So?" Ravenpaw mewed defensively.

"No one said it was bad to be paranoid," Bluestar soothed, though she wondered what made the cat paranoid that much.

**Firepaw looked at the heap of fresh-kill that was piled beside the two apprentices. ...**

**It took them four journeys to carry their bumper catch to the storage hole the elders had dug.**

"Now that," Bramblestar meowed, "is a lot."

**Lionheart and Tigerclaw had just returned with their patrol as Firepaw, Graypaw, and Ravenpaw carried their last load into the camp.**

**... He had obeyed the warrior code this time and not eaten a morsel while he was hunting for the Clan. Nor had Graypaw or Ravenpaw.**

"Good," Redtail mewed approvingly.

**They trotted away and dropped the last of their catch on the fresh-kill pile that already lay at the center of the clearing. ...**

**"Where are Sandpaw and Dustpaw?" asked Ravenpaw.**

**"They must still be out on patrol," Firepaw guessed.**

**"Good," meowed Graypaw. "Peace and quiet."**

"Hey!" the two cats yowled in mock anger.

Firestar, Graystripe, and Ravenpaw growled back with tails flicking in amusement.

**They ate their fill and lay back to wash. ...**** "Ravenpaw managed to squeeze a compliment out of old Tigerclaw this morning!" - Graypaw**

"Impossible!" Dustpelt and Sandstorm gasped together, and the two plus their other three old friends burst into peals of laughter.

The cats from the past looked on in puzzlement. What was with all the mockery of Tigerclaw?

**"Really?" Firepaw gasped. "What on earth did you do to please Tigerclaw - fly?"**

**"Well," Ravenpaw began shyly, looking at his paws, "I caught a crow."**

"Wow, good job," Redtail congratulated Ravenpaw.

"It was nothing," the black and white cat mewed with a shrug.

**"How'd you manage that?" Firepaw mewed, impressed.**

**...**

**"Even Tigerclaw couldn't find fault with that! He's been in such a bad mood since Bluestar took you on as her apprentice." Graypaw licked his paw thoughtfully for a moment. "Hang on, make that since Lionheart was made deputy."**

Redtail and Oakheart frowned simultaneously, though both were too deep in thought to notice.

**"He's just worried about Shadowclan, and the extra patrols," mewed Ravenpaw, hastily. "You should try not to annoy him."**

They frowned again. Was Ravenpaw covering something up for Tigerclaw?

**Their conversation was interrupted by a loud yowl from across the other side of the clearing.**

**"Oh, no," Firepaw groaned, getting to his paws. "I forgot to take Yellowfang her share!"**

"Looks like I'm not the only one to forget," Squirrelflight mewed in content.

"No," her father shook his head, "But you are the first to not learn after the tenth time."

**"You wait here," mewed Graypaw, leaping up. "I'll take her something."**

**"No, I'd better go," Firepaw protested. "This is my punishment, not yours."**

"Listen to him," Deadfoot warned.

Graystripe winced in embarrassment while Firestar sighed and mouthed an apology to his oldest friend.

**"No one will notice," argued Graypaw. ...**

**He watched his friend trot away from the tree stump to the pile of fresh-kill.**

"Oh, boy," the WindClan deputy groaned. He could just sense that something bad was going to happen.

**As if he were carrying out orders, Graypaw confidently picked out two of the juiciest-looking mice. ...**

**"Stop, Graypaw!" **

And there it is, Deadfoot thought with a sigh.

**A loud growl rumbled from the entrance of the warriors' den. Tigerclaw strode out and marched over to Graypaw. ...**** Beside him, Ravenpaw froze mid chew and crouched over his meal with his eyes wider than ever.**

"And that," Ravenpaw admitted, "Was saying something."

**"Umm..." Graypaw dropped the mice and shuffled his paws uncomfortably.**

**...**

**"Oh, _really_?" mewed Tigerclaw. "Well, if your so hungry, you might as well eat them here and now!"**

"He wouldn't!" Bluestar gasped in alarm, looking at Graystripe in worry.

**"But-" Graypaw began, looking up at the senior warrior in alarm.**

"Even I can't manage to eat that much food and not get ill," Graystripe winced.

**"Now!" growled Tigerclaw.**

**Graypaw bent his head quickly and began to eat the mice. ... Graypaw gave a final, difficult gulp and the last bit of mouse disappeared.**

**"Better now?" asked Tigerclaw, his voice smooth with mock sympathy.**

"Unbelievable," Redtail muttered.

**"Much," replied Graypaw, stifling a burp.**

**...**

**"Thanks, Graypaw," Firepaw mewed gratefully, nudging his friend's soft fur. "That was quick thinking."**

"It was, wasn't it?" Graystripe mewed with pride, able to absorb the praise this time because his stomach wasn't hurting.

**The noise of Yellowfang's yowl rose into the air once more. ... ****"Mrr-ow-ow," moaned Graypaw. He was hunched into a low crouch, squinting in pain. "I've eaten to much!"**

**"Go and see Spottedleaf," Firepaw suggested. "I'm sure she'll find something to help."**

"She'll have something," Leafpool assured.

**"I hope so," mewed Graypaw, tottering slowly away.**

**Firepaw wanted to watch him go, until another angry yowl from Yellowfang sent him sprinting across the clearing.**

"And that's the end," Redtail announced.

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><p><strong>So, once again, I'm sorry it took so long. I hope you all enjoyed!<strong>


	13. Chapter 10

**I am extremely sorry for taking so long. I had midterms, a competition, travel, homework, practices... I've been bogged down with so many things. I've also had this chapter nearly finished for a week now, so I'm happy that I finally finished it.**

**Also, someone pointed out that I was giving SOPA a chance and so would have to report this story, even though they really liked it. I made a deal with them so that they wouldn't report it -** I am changing the way I write the chapters. I will put enough words from Hunter's chapters that you can understand the comments. There will be '...' where I have taken words away. This way I'm not posting the whole chapter. I'm very sorry, but this is my decision.****

**Thank you to Blue1272000 for typing up Erin Hunter's chapter.**

**Night of StarClan - Thank you for the reassurance!**

**Icestar of Element Clan - I'll try to have her read.**

**dragonfighter11 - I'm trying, but like I said, I have a lot of things to do. And thank you!**

**The Trainee Corps is in Trost - Thank you so much!**

**Thank you to everyone who reviewed, favorited, and followed! To know that you all enjoy reading this story as much as I do writing it makes me really happy.**

**I do not own Warriors.**

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><p>"Who wants to read next?" Redtail inquired.<p>

There was a pause, and then Blackfoot spoke, with a hesitant glance at Brokenstar, "I will."

His leader looked up with a hiss, but Redtail just passed the book to the old ShadowClan deputy with a smug look at the leader.

**By the following morning, a thin drizzle soaked the treetops and dripped down into the camp.**

"At least it doesn't any more!" Cloudtail said cheerfully.

He ignored the curious glances sent at him and motioned for Blackfoot to continue. The ShadowClan cat did after studying the white tom and deciding that with what he had already observed of the future cat, he didn't want to know.

**Firepaw woke up feeling damp. ...**

**Firepaw reached out and prodded Yellowfang's mossy bedding cautiously. "Your bedding is soaking wet. Why don't you move nearer to the nursery? It's more sheltered there."**

"Good idea," Leafpool nodded approvingly, picturing the spot in her head. As an older cat, it wouldn't do for Yellowfang to lie where the water could reach her and affect her joints.

**"What? And be kept awake all night by those mewling kits! I'd rather get wet!" Yellowfang growled.**

Bluestar growled softly, narrowing her eyes.

**Firepaw watched her circle stiffly on her mossy bed. "Then at least let me fetch you some dry bedding," he offered...**

**"Thank you, Firepaw," replied Yellowfang quietly, settling down again.**

"Did she just...?" Blackfoot interrupted himself. He knew Yellowfang quite well; she had been a warrior for a short time around the time he was born and he had admired her fierce warrior spirit. He had admired her even more when she gave that life up for the good of the clan and became a medicine cat. They had briefly been apprentices together because of that. In all his life, he had never heard her say thank you.

"I know," Firestar laughed, grinning. He could see some of the new Blackfoot appearing in the old, and he liked the sight of it. "It surprised me too."

**Firepaw felt stunned. He wondered if Yellowfang was feeling all right. It was the first time she had thanked him for anything, and the first time she had not called him a kittypet.**

Brokenstar frowned, but refrained from saying anything.

**"Well, don't just stand there like a startled squirrel; go and fetch some moss!" she snapped.**

"And there's the Yellowfang we know," Blackfoot interrupted himself with a purr of amusement.

Brambleclaw chuckled and grinned, liking the new Blackfoot who was more like Blackstar than the old.

**Firepaw's whiskers twitched with amusement. This was more like the Yellowfang he was used to. He nodded and sprinted off.**

"Ha!" Squirrelflight burst out, "You think like Firestar!"

"Nonsense," Brokenstar hissed, obviously scandalized by the thought.

"Uh-huh," the energetic she-cat nodded, eyes sparkling with laughter and glee. She was happy to see Blackfoot acting the way he was. She had never known the cat who was under Brokenstar's thumb, only the cat who who would do anything to help his clan survive. The cat who had shoved an apprentice towards her, another apprentice from another clan who he didn't know, but trusted to help get his young clanmate out of the collapsing camp while he carried a kit between his teeth. The cat who was willing to accept help from the other three clans, to show them weakness, if it meant that no cat from his clan died. The cat who had supported his clan in their new home and who had come to ThunderClan's aid when they needed it. That was the cat she knew, and that was the cat that she respected and felt comfortable around.

**He almost crashed into Speckletail in the middle of the clearing.**

**... "Are you on your way to see Yellowfang?" - Firepaw**

"As if," Ravenpaw snorted, speaking for the first time in a while. "Speckletail hated pretty much every ThunderClan cat, there was no way she ever cared for a ShadowClan one."

**"What would I want with _that_ unnatural creature?" replied Speckletail crossly. "Actually it's you I was looking for. Bluestar wants to see you."**

"See?" Ravenpaw mewed crossly.

"Why don't you like Speckletail?" Bluestar questioned. "Besides the fact that she's not very friendly."

"She spread lies about me," the black and white cat mewed stiffly. "It'll probably be at the end of this book."

Thunderclan's old leader nodded slowly before gesturing for Blackfoot to continue.

**Firepaw hurried toward the Highrock and Bluestar's den.**

**...**

**"Is she fit enough to hunt for herself yet?" Bluestar asked.**

"No," Leafpool mewed, shaking her head.

**"I don't think so," Firepaw meowed.**

**... "It is time for you to return to your training, Firepaw. But you'll need to work hard to make up for time you have lost." - Bluestar**

"Very hard," Bluestar mewed, eying her future apprentice. He had lost a lot of training time on top of starting late.

**"Great! I mean, thank you Bluestar!" Firepaw stammered.**

**"... I'll make sure someone sees to Yellowfang while you are gone." - Bluestar**

"Perhaps you should supervise too," Cloudtail suggested with a mrow of amusement, "To make sure Yellofang doesn't bite their head off."

Graystripe laughed and nodded, "She was acting strange that day, StarClan knows what she could have done!"

"Please read," Firestar asked Blackfoot, "So that we don't have to listen to these two clowns anymore."

Blackfoot smirked and nodded.

**Firepaw nodded.**

**"Now, join your companions," Bluestar ordered. ...**

**Graypaw looked stiff and uncomfortable, his long fur clumped by the dampness of the air.**

"I sympathize," Cloudtail sighed, shaking his long white fur.

**Ravenpaw was pacing around the tree stump, lost in thought, the white tip of his trail twitching.**

**... "Some day, huh?" Graystripe shook himself roughly to get rid of the clinging wetness.**

"Rainy days are awful," Squirrelflight agreed, "Unless you have a dry place to spend them."

"And aren't ordered out to hunt or patrol by the deputy," Cloudtail added, glaring at Graystripe and Brambleclaw.

"And don't belong to a clan that swims, in which case rainy days are fun," Oakheart offered cheerfully. All the cats that weren't from RiverClan turned to stare at him. Blackfoot shook his head before reading.

**"Yes. ..."**

**...**

**"Come on! We should get going," urged Ravenpaw. He had stopped pacing and now hovered beside then anxiously.**

"Which is strange, because normally we have to physically make you stop," Graystripe remarked.

Ravenpaw huffed, "Do not!"

"Do too!"

"Do not!"

"Do too!" Firestar joined forces with Graystripe and they chorused together.

"Do not!"

"Do too!"

"Sometimes," Sandstorm muttered to Leafpool, "I feel like I'm surrounded by mousebrains."

"You know what's strange?" Her daughter asked while looking at Squirrelflight eagerly watch the verbal fight, "Sometimes I do too."

"Enough!" Brokenstar finally yowled, his patience - which never had a high level in the first place - running out. "Blackfoot, read!"

**"Fine by me," mewed Graypaw. "Hopefully some exercise will warm me up a bit!"**

"Did it?" Oakheart questioned.

"It warmed my legs," the large cat shrugged, "But I still couldn't feel my paws or my nose or my ears."

**The three cats trotted through the gorse track and out of the camp. ...**

**"Are you worried about the assessment?" Firepaw asked Ravenpaw, as the young cat padded backward and forward with quick, nervous steps.**

"See?"Graystripe asked.

"Do. Not!" Ravenpaw hissed.

"Blackfoot, read," Sandstorm ordered.

**"There's no need to be. You're Tigerclaw's apprentice, after all. When he reports back to Bluestar, he's going to want to tell her how good you are."**

**"You can never tell with Tigerclaw," mewed Ravenpaw, still pacing.**

"You never can," Firestar sighed.

**"For goodness' sake, sit down," Graypaw grumbled. "At this rate you'll be worn out before we begin!"**

"Do too," Graystripe coughed, then spluttered as Sandstorm shoved his head into the dirt.

**By the time Tigerclaw arrived, the sky had changed. ..****.**

**"... And whatever you catch will be added to the supplies in the camp."**

"One question," Deadfoot said, "Why wouldn't it?"

"I honestly have no idea..." Firestar said slowly.

**The three apprentices looked at one another, nervous and excited. ...**

**"Ravenpaw, you will follow the trail beyond the Great Sycamore as far as the Snakerocks. That should be easy enough for your pitiful skills."**

Bluestar's mouth dropped open in outrage, "He did not say that!" she yowled.

"He did," Ravenpaw murmured.

"But he can't just say something like that!" Redtail cried out.

"And Snakerocks?!" Bluestar erupted again, "There are adders there!"

"It's fine, I'm fine, I wasn't hurt or anything," the loner reassured them. "Blackfoot, please continue."

The ShadowClan deputy did so, though while wondering to himself why it was that people kept telling him what to do.

**You, Graypaw," Tigerclaw continued, "will take the route along the stream, as far as the Thunderpath."**

**"Great," mewed Graypaw. "Wet paws for me!" Tigerclaw's stare silenced him.**

"It was true," Graystripe grumbled.

**"And finally you, Firepaw. What a shame your great mentor couldn't be here today to witness your performance for herself."**

Bluestar's mouth dropped open in shock.

**"You will take the route through the Tallpines, past Treecut place, to the woods beyond."**

**...**

**"And remember," Tigerclaw finished, fixing them all with his pale-eyed stare, "I shall be watching all of you."**

"You know, that sounded really creepy," Squirrelflight remarked. "I'll be watching you."

"Well, he will be," Crookedstar pointed out.

"I know," she shrugged, "It just sounded creepy to me, the wording and tone and all."

"Technically, I did the tone," Blackfoot pointed out.

Squirrelflight flicked her tail dismissively, "That's not the point. The point is, it was creepy."

"Ok..." Blackfoot trailed off, then continued reading. He sensed the argument was a lost cause.

**Ravenpaw was the first to sprint away toward the Snakerocks. ...**

**"I don't know why he thinks Snakerocks is an easy route!" mewed Graypaw. "The place is crawling with adders. Birds and mice stay away from there because there are so many snakes!"**

"Exactly!" Bluestar hissed, worry for the apprentice in her eyes.

**"Ravenpaw'll have to spend the whole time trying not to get bitten," Firepaw agreed.**

"Oh StarClan," Bluestar moaned, staring at Ravenpaw as if to assure herself that he was still there.

**"Oh, he'll be okay," mewed Graypaw. "Not even an adder would be fast enough to catch Ravenpaw at the moment, he's so jumpy."**

"Hey!" Ravenpaw mewed, offended.

"It was true!" Graystripe shrugged.

**"I'd better get going. ...!"**

**...**

**It felt strange to be going in this direction, toward the Twoleg place he had been raised in.**

Firestar frowned, thinking. Then his eyes widened in shock. He had almost forgotten about this part of his life, though he didn't know how.

**Cautiously Firepaw crossed the narrow path into the pine forest. ...**** The ground here was deeply rutted by the tracks of the huge Twoleg monster that tore down the trees.**

As one, the cats from the future shivered violently from ears to tail. The present cats looked at them in concern.

"What's wrong?" Tallstar asked slowly.

"You'll find out later," Ravenpaw murmured, glancing at his old friends in sympathy. While he had lived with ThunderClan for the first part of his life, the majority of it was spent with Barley in the barn. He would have always been at home in the oak trees of the territory, but he would never call it home. However, their home had been torn apart, viciously and without mercy, while their friends and family were captured and held in a place they didn't know existed. It was a horrible experience, and one that he would always thank StarClan for being able to help them out of.

**Firepaw took a deep breath, his mouth open. ... The ruts were half-filled with rain, which made him feel thirsty. He was tempted to stop and take a few mouthfuls, but he hesitated. One lap of that muddy trench water and he'd taste the monster's foul-smelling tracks for days.**

"Yeah, not a good idea," Redtail muttered, making a face. He had made that mistake when he was a young apprentice, and it was worse than mousebile. It was an all-consuming, dirty tasting, disgusting odor-filled taste and it was one that he had regretted ever trying.

"Don't tell me you actually..." Squirrelflight trailed off. Even in her 'I have to do something to truly experience it' phase where she had been willing to crawl in a badger's den, she hadn't been tempted once to drink the water from a monster's tracks.

"Yes," the old ThunderClan deputy made a face. "I did. Worst decision of my life, even if it earned me first pick of the fresh kill."

"It was a dare!?" the she-cat yowled in shock. Who would be so cruel as to do that!?

"It was," Bluestar mewed dryly. "I remember that. All of the apprentices were competing for first pick. The last one to not back out on a dare won. It was down to Redtail and one other apprentice, who decided that no one would carry that dare through. But Redtail did, and the other apprentice backed down."

"I should hope so, you deserved it!" Brambleclaw meowed in shock, looking at Redtail.

"Anyways," Bluestar finished, "all the apprentices came in to camp that night and Redtail went straight to the fresh kill pile."

"I picked out a big thrush, hoping to get rid of the taste," Redtail finished the story. "Sad to say, it didn't work. All I tasted for days was that water."

Blackfoot shook his head in sympathy before continuing to read.

**He decided to wait.**

"Good idea," Redtail said dryly.

**Perhaps there would be a rainwater puddle beyond Tallpines. ... ****He must be very close to his old home now.**

"Oh!" Graystripe and Ravenpaw gasped at the same time.

"What?" Sandstorm asked them, frowning.

"I can't believe I didn't realize it before," Graystripe said, eying the she-cat with laughter in his eyes. "After all, it was a fun time. After all the seriousness, of course."

"Graystripe..." Sandstorm hissed, her ears laid back in warning.

"It's in the book," the gray tom sang, then jumped up and dashed into the forest as Sandstorm chased after him.

"Continue, Blackfoot," Leafpool mewed, "They'll be awhile."

**Ahead Firepaw could smell Twolegs and hear their voices, loud and raucous like crows. It was a group of young Twolegs, playing in the woods. ... He changed direction, skirting the noises, making sure he was not seen.**

"Good idea," Squirrelflight nodded, remembering when a twoleg picked up Feathertail.

**Firepaw stayed alert and watchful, but not just for Twolegs- Tigerclaw might be somewhere nearby. ...**

**Out of the corner of his eye, Firepaw sensed movement.**

Bluestar frowned. A mentor was supposed to stay hidden while observing apprentice's skills.

**At first he thought it was Tigerclaw's dark brown fur, but then he saw a flash of white.**

Redtail felt Bluestar tense beside him, and he held in a sigh. The leader worried over her cats like a mother over her kits. It was good that she cared for them, but honestly! It wasn't like they were going to disappear while she wasn't looking!

**He stopped, crouched, and inhaled deeply. The smell was unfamiliar; it was a cat, but not a ThunderClan cat. **

Redtail frowned. Who was it?

**Firepaw felt his fur bristle with the instincts of a Clan warrior. He would have to chase the intruder out of ThunderClan territory!**

"I'm getting deja vu," Oakheart commented. "Graypaw chased you, you'll chase this cat."

**Firepaw watched the creature moving through the undergrowth. ...**

**The back-and-white cat jumped into the air, terrified, and raced away through the trees.**

"That is not a clan cat," Deadfoot rumbled.

"No," Tallstar agreed. "It isn't." His eyes narrowed in thought. Who was it?

**Firepaw gave chase.**

**_It's a kittypet!_**

Now Tallstar's eyes widened. Kittypet and black and white... It couldn't be.

**He thought as he raced through the undergrowth, smelling its fear-scent. ... the blood roaring in his ears, Firepaw leaped onto its back in a single bound.**

"Oh yes," Oakheart commented sarcastically, "This is totally not deja vu. ThunderClan apprentice leaping on the back of a male kittypet."

"You're right," Graystripe panted as he slid into his spot beside Firestar. "Because I totally caught up faster and had a better jump."

"Just keep telling yourself that," Firestar snorted.

"I will," Graystripe reassured him.

"No, you won't," Sandstorm growled as she stalked into the clearing. "Because you will be dead."

"Firestar, help me!" the gray tom yelped, quickly getting up and moving to the other side of said cat, putting him between himself and the angry feline.

"I don't know if there's anything I can do," Firestar sighed, "She's like a lioness, she does what she wants."

"Stop it!" Bluestar ordered. "I want to know what happens next! Blackfoot, read!"

With a sigh, the ShadowClan deputy did so, but he did wonder when it was everyone was given the right to boss him around.

**Firepaw could feel the cat struggling beneath him as he gripped on with all his claws. It let out a desperate and terrified yowl.**

"Of course it did, it's a kittypet after all," Brokenstar scoffed.

Sandstorm narrowed her eyes to slits, bent her ears back, lashed her tail, and hissed loudly.

Brokenstar coughed in an unsuccessful attempt to hide his gulp of fright and ordered, "Blackfoot read."

**Firepaw released his grip and backed away. ... And yet something about this cat seemed familiar.**

Tallstar's jaw almost dropped open in shock. It was. Out of all the kittypets that Firepaw ran into, it was that cat.

**Firepaw stared harder. ... ****"Smudge!" he meowed out loud.**

"What?" Bluestar demanded.

"I ran into Smudge," Firestar shrugged. "Well, I actually jumped on top of him, but that's just details."

**"H-ho-how d-d-do you know my n-name?" stammered Smudge, still crouching.**

"And he doesn't recognize you," Cloudtail snorted, laughing.

**"It's me!" Firepaw meowed.**

**...**

**"Rusty?" mewled Smudge in disbelief. "Is that you? Did you find the wildcats again? Or are you living with new housefolk? You must be, if you're still alive!"**

"What? Did he think we would eat you," Redtail asked.

"Probably," Firestar nodded. "Kitty pets do think that wild cats eat kittypet bones for breakfast after all."

"I thought you said they think we sharpen our claws on old bones?" the old ThunderClan deputy asked incredulously.

"Well, yes, but they also think that," Graystripe put in, remembering the crazy kittypets he had met while trying to make his way back to ThunderClan.

Redtail shook his head in disbelief, and Blackfoot chose to read on of his own accord before someone ordered him to.

**"I'm called Firepaw now," Firepaw meowed. ...**

**"Well, Firepaw, it looks like your new housefolk don't feed you enough! You certainly weren't this scrawny last time we met!" - Smudge**

"He actually thinks..." Deadfoot said slowly.

"Yes," Firestar sighed.

**"I don't need Twolegs to feed me," Firepaw replied. "I've got a whole forest of food to eat."**

**"Twolegs?"**

"How does he not know what twolegs are?" Crookedstar questioned. "He lives with them!"

Blackfoot said, "Next sentence."

**"Housefolk. That's what the clans call them."**

"Ah," Crookedstar nodded, though he was puzzled. Why did kittypets not call twolegs twolegs?

**Smudge looked bewildered for a second; then his expression change to one of complete astonishment. "You mean you're really living with the wildcats?"**

"Yes," Graystripe said smugly.

**"Yes!" Firepaw paused. "You know, you smell… different. Unfamiliar."**

**... "I suppose you're used to the smell of those wildcats now." - Smudge**

"No," Bluestar shook her head sadly. So many toms were taken to the cutter...

**Firepaw shook his head, as if to clear his mind. ... "You've been to the Cutter!" He gasped. "I mean, the vet!"**

"Unfortunately," Firestar sighed. It had been a hard blow for him, to find out that his old friend was turned into... well, that.

**Smudge shrugged his plump black shoulders. ...**

**"... What's it like, living wild?" Smudge demanded. "Is it as good as you thought it'd be?"**

"Better," Firestar mewed softly. The friends and family he had made, all the good he had done, the pride he had felt directed at him and that he had directed at others, everything he had done and seen and felt... it was all worth leaving the soft life of a kittypet, even if it meant he had to work more.

**Firepaw thought for a moment. ... ****"I know who I am now," he meowed simply.**

"Good," Bluestar mewed, happy that she hadn't pulled him from one life that he was happy in to one where he was unhappy.

**Smudge tipped his head to one side and stared at Firepaw, clearly confused. ...**

**"And stay alert. There may be another cat in the area who is not as fond of kittypets- I mean, housecats- as I am." - Firepaw**

"Like a ShadowClan cat," Deadfoot growled, in an uncharacteristic violent generalization.

Blackfoot frowned, but didn't speak. He didn't have to, because Squirrelflight spoke for him. "Actually, Treecut place is on the opposite side of ThunderClan territory as our border with ShadowClan. So it would be loners or a ThunderClan cat who really didn't like kittypets that he would have to worry about. Plus, not all ShadowClan cats are mean. I respect Blackstar and other ShadowClan cats while one of my best friends is in ShadowClan. They may have bad leadership sometimes, but they're still a clan that is sticking together the best they can to try and survive."

Blackfoot blinked in surprise while the future cats looked at Squirrelflight with pride. Deadfoot flicked his tail in surprise, but nodded to show that he understood. The ShadowClan deputy paused for a few more seconds before continuing.

**Smudge's ears flicked nervously at these words. ...**

**"Bye, Smudge," meowed Firepaw. "Enjoy your meal!"**

"As much as he can considering it's like rabbit droppings," Graystripe snorted.

**He watched the white tip of Smudge's tail disappear over the edge of the tree. ...**** Now he just needed to impress Bluestar and Tigerclaw, and the day would be perfect.**

Firestar shivered a little at the reminder of how he looked up to the tabby, but calmed down easily. It was getting easier to recognize his past thoughts and feelings and understand why he had them. That didn't mean that he liked some of them now, but he did understand the reasoning behind it.

"That's the end of the chapter," Blackfoot announced.

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><p><strong>I hope you all enjoyed! Please review!<strong>


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